Upcoming Supporting Immigrant Children’s Growth: Honouring Their Roots, Nurturing Their Wings

In this workshop, Behnaz invites educators to step into the lived experience of immigrant children who arrive having left behind their language, belongings, and sense of familiarity, and who must make sense of an entirely new world. Through reflective storytelling drawn from her work in early learning settings, the presenter explores children’s challenges and highlights core pedagogical principles: learning cannot be rushed, trust cannot be forced, and safety is the foundation of self-confidence, imagination, and creativity. Grounded in inclusive pedagogy, the workshop challenges educators to reflect on their readiness to create environments where, before curriculum or outcomes, every immigrant child is first honoured as a child learning how to belong.

Presenter: Behnaz Lotfi

Behnaz has been engaged in Early Childhood Care and Education since 1978, bringing decades of lived and professional experience to her work. She has worked with children in Iran, including orphaned children, and later in the USA and Canada, giving her a deeply cross-cultural perspective. After a break dedicated to raising her two children, she returned to her studies and is completing her degree at Capilano University as a passionate Early Childhood Educator. She advocates for inclusion and supports families and students who are new to Canada.

Zoom links will be sent on the day of the workshop; please contact our office if you do not receive one.