Description: Through the lens of neuroscience and attachment theory, this presentation will explore the intricacies of neurodiversity, including Hypersensitivity, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Giftedness, and Tourette Syndrome, and its implication within a classroom setting. Behavior, often regarded as a form of communication, can manifest in challenging ways, potentially disrupting the learning environment. A universal concern among educators revolves around navigating the "what to do when" scenarios associated with such behaviors. Gaining insight is key in helping educators foster an inclusive educational environment that supports the needs of neurodiverse learners, promoting positive outcomes for both students and staff.

Offered online February 28, 2024 |4:00pm - 5:30pm PST

Cost: FREE

Presenters: Catherine Korah and Eva de Gosztonyi

Catherine Korah is the coordinator of the Centre of Excellence for Behaviour Management (CEBM), which offers support and expertise to the English School Boards of Quebec to help them to increase their capacity to implement best practice approaches in prevention and intervention with students who have challenging behaviours. For over 15 years, she has worked in a number of educational settings with both elementary and secondary students. She has been actively involved in providing professional development, consultation, and liaising with various health and social service agencies. Catherine is very adept at finding developmentally friendly and trauma-informed solutions for students at all levels. To know more, visit https://www.cebm.ca/

Eva de Gosztonyi is a psychologist who has worked for over 48 years in schools across Canada, including Quebec, Manitoba, northern Saskatchewan and Yukon. For 22 years she worked as the Coordinator of the Centre of Excellence for Behaviour Management, a support to the 10 English School Boards of Quebec, helping them to provide effective interventions for children with behavioural challenges using the Neufeld paradigm. Eva believes that educators can foster the natural processes of development in their interactions and attachments with students in the classroom and in the school. In her presentations Eva weaves together theory and practice; learning and behaviour, to help those who work with children put into practice Dr. Neufeld`s paradigm so that they can most effectively help children and youth become the 'best that they can be'.

Description: We live in a world where play is being replaced with entertainment and skills-based activities.

We are now seeing the emotional side effects of the loss of play in the lives of children as aggression and anxiety in our young increases. Play provides a safe space to access our feelings and in doing so it serves a significant role in the unfolding of human potential. When we hear the word ‘play’, many of us think of young children and toys. This workshop will expand our understanding of what ‘play’ is (and what it isn’t) and its importance as a key driver of growth, learning and resilience.

Suitability: Intended for teachers, early childhood educators, helping professionals - anyone who leads and loves children. Focus will be on children ages 3 - 12.

Offered in-person: November 18, 2023 I 10am - 4pm PST I Mill Bay, British Columbia

Facilitators: Hannah Beach and Tamara Strijack

Cost: $250 + tax (where applicable)

Join Tamara Strijack, Eva de Gosztonyi, Hannah Beach, Deborah MacNamara and David McFall as they share practical ideas around supporting students and educators.

This symposium is a FREE opportunity to hear from our wonderful IDEA Centre team.

To learn more about the themes and topics presented, visit our Educator’s Symposium page.

an IDEA Centre webinar with Eva de Gosztonyi

Play is being given serious study by researchers all over the world. Studies show time after time that play promotes development in all parts of the brain particularly in the areas of the brain responsible for problem solving, getting along with others and, most importantly, emotional well-being. This webinar will look more deeply into the neuroscience of play to better understand its importance in the development of the whole child. Perhaps then we will relax and let our children and ourselves experience play not as a luxury but as an essential part of our human experience.

The Neuroscience of Play - PDF Handout

The Neuroscience of Play - References

Eva de Gosztonyi, MA, is a psychologist who has worked for over 45 years in schools across Canada. For over 22 years she was the Coordinator of the Centre of Excellence for Behaviour Management, a support to the ten English School Boards of Quebec, helping adults in the school setting provide attachment-based and developmentally friendly interventions for students with behavioural challenges.

FREE WEBINAR with Eva de Gosztonyi

When students have difficulty managing their behaviours in the classroom our thoughts often turn to a reward system. In fact, a number of these systems are now available via the cell phone and Smart Board. What more could we ask for, other than for help in finding the best system to use and tips on how to make it work? However, developmental science and trauma research beg to differ. Not only do these systems lose their effectiveness over time, they are complicated to implement, and they rarely result in long-term change. Of even greater concern is that they often significantly affect the all-important child-adult attachment relationship, can increase anxiety even among the “well-behaved” and can cause discouragement and a sense of shame for the student who cannot do better despite best intentions. This presentation will provide an analysis of what works and does not work, and why. Then effective alternatives to help manage behaviour in the classroom will be proposed. These include how to increase the students’ desire to please their teacher, simple classroom modifications that can make behaving appropriately easier and suggestions for how to respond when behaviour is challenging.

Date/time: Tuesday October 25th, 2022 from 4:30pm to 6:00pm Pacific Time

 Eva de Gosztonyi, MA, is a psychologist who has worked for over 45 years in schools across Canada. For over 22 years she was the Coordinator of the Centre of Excellence for Behaviour Management, a support to the ten English School Boards of Quebec, helping adults in the school setting provide effective interventions for students with behavioural challenges. Eva is a developmental psychologist who believes that we must value the natural maturational processes of our children and youth, respecting their immaturity and vulnerability and understanding that safe and caring attachments with adults are essential for their optimal growth. Her understanding of child development is primarily informed by the attachment-based developmental paradigm of Dr. Gordon Neufeld. The interventions that she suggests are guided by neuroscience, are trauma-informed and trauma-responsive, and they are attachment-based and developmentally friendly.  Eva is on Faculty at the Neufeld Institute and is an authorized presenter of the Neufeld paradigm.