Pre-Conference Workshops
5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
Nurturing Bright Beginnings for Shaping a Better Tomorrow
Investing in Early Years
Monday, 28th April 2025
AMBREENA AHMED
DIRECTOR, TEACHERS' RESOURCE CENTRE
Ambreena Ahmed is the Director of Teachers' Resource Centre (TRC), a pioneering education institution in Pakistan working on quality reforms, especially teachers' development, since 1986. She is a versatile professional working for the last 23 years who has designed and led diverse projects and institutional partnerships in both public and private educational sectors and communities across Pakistan. She has recently curated a first of its kind climate change education initiative called CANDLE and is leading the development and launch of Pakistan's Introductory Curriculum on Climate Change Education (grades 1 to 10).
Workshop #1
Cultivating Environmental Stewardship in Formative Years
Organized by: Ms. Tabinda and Ms. Ambreena Ahmed, Teachers' Resource Centre, Karachi
A pre-conference workshop on Cultivating Environmental Stewardship in Early Childhood will be organized by the Teachers' Resource Centre, focusing on climate change pedagogy and its integration into formative learning years. This workshop will emphasize the importance of early climate education in fostering awareness of climate change, its impact on the environment, and opting sustainable behaviors.
It will explore key objectives such as skill development, proactive community engagement, and empowerment while offering participants learning opportunities through discussions and group activities on curriculum integration, hands-on learning, educator training, family involvement, community partnerships, and practical approaches to fostering environmental stewardship from an early age.
The expected outcomes of this workshop include increased awareness of climate change among young learners, enhanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and the promotion of sustainable behaviors through engaging educational strategies.
DR. MUBESHERA TUFAIL
Dr. Mubeshera Tufail has been serving as a faculty member at Allama Iqbal Open University since 2016. She holds a Ph.D. in Education from the National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad. She has an extensive research background in education, with over fifteen research publications and multiple research projects. She also serves as an associate editor of the Pakistan Journal of Distance and Online Learning (PJDOL).
DR. RUKHSANA DURRANI
Dr. Rukhsana Durrani is a faculty member at the Department of Early Childhood Education & Elementary Teacher Education, AIOU, since 2011. She is the Assistant Editor of the Journal of Early Childhood Care & Education and has worked on various projects in teacher training and early education. Her research focuses on sustainable development, early childhood education, peace education, citizenship education, and teacher training.
Workshop #2
Mental Health for Parents & Children: A Path to Well-being
Organized by: Dr. Mubeshera Tufail and Dr. Rukhsana Durrani, Allama Iqbal Open University's Early Childhood Education and Elementary Teacher Education Department
A pre-conference workshop on Mental Health for Parents & Children: A Path to Well-being will be organized by Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad's Early Childhood Education and Elementary Teacher Education Department. This interactive workshop aims to educate parents and caregivers about the significance of mental health in family life as well as detecting the symptoms of declining mental conditions.
It will explore the main contributors affecting parents and children such as stress, family conflicts, and social pressures. Participants will engage in discussions, tackling real-life scenarios, reflection activities, and hands-on exercises to learn simple and effective ways to manage daily stress.
This workshop's expected outcomes include increased awareness of how mental health affects family life, practical strategies for reducing distress and to enhance emotional well-being, and techniques to support children's well-being and foster a positive home environment.
SHUMAILA BIBI
Ms. Shumaila Bibi, Director of PediaCare Therapy Clinic and MS in Speech and Language Pathology, is a leading IBT trained professional specializing in the evaluation and treatment of speech, language, resonance, communication, swallowing, and cognitive-communication disorders.
Workshop #3
Play as a Therapy for Language Development
Organized by: Ms. Shumaila, PediaCare Therapy Clinic
A pre-conference workshop on Play as a Therapy for Language Development will be organized by PediaCare Therapy Clinic, highlighting the crucial role and importance of language and speech development regarding a child's cognitive, social, and emotional growth. This workshop is designed to empower parents, caregivers, and educators with practical strategies to create a language-rich environment, limit screen time, and promote verbal interactions between parent and child through interactive sessions, play-based activities such as role-playing, storytelling, and sensory play. Expected outcomes include improved verbal engagement, enhanced vocabulary and communication skills in children, and stronger parent-child interactions through play and conversation.