*NEW* 4 - Part Workshop Series on the topic of "Educational Photography"

Sneak Peek of what’s coming up at TransformEd Consulting Services this School Year!



Educational photography: Giving voice to the creative thinking and learning of every child (A four part workshop series)


Did you know that photographs have the power to teach us in all educational contexts and across grades? They truly convey the culture of our classrooms, our beliefs, as well as the depth of our students’ engagement in their own learning processes. It is without a doubt that photographs are increasingly being used to document major milestones and academic achievement, however, they are often limiting in their view of the child. There is a growing pressure and an expectation that educators/parents take photographs to make learning visible or to prove what their child is capable of, and yet we have never been trained with how these photographs can really impact our practice or further enrich our children’s lives.



Let us move beyond the Instagrammable post, or perfectly posable shot for display, all which lack in authenticity. Together, we can learn more about how to improve our photographs, and as a result, give voice to children who are communicating beyond verbal or paper pencil tasks. Join me in celebrating the creative thinking and learning of Infants/Toddlers, English Languages Learners, Children with Learning Exceptionalities, those who are shy/quiet (selective mute), and ALL our students who represent their discoveries in unique ways.



Every child has something to say and a picture is worth a thousand words!






Part 1 - The Everlasting Photo: How to capture and preserve the beauty of a learning moment


-moving beyond the point and shoot method to really focusing your lens on learning

-samples of my photo journey and what inspires my images (e.g., the learning environment, materials)

-hands-on experience exploring photography skills with your mobile device, tablet, digital camera, etc.





Part 2 - The art of selecting photographs that represent research, communicate meaning, and inspire interpretation

-learning ways to organize the numerous photos gathered

-selecting that rare photograph that becomes a piece of timeless documentation

-hands-on experience going through your own camera roll to determine which photos demonstrate deeper learning and studying the images to inform your planning





Part 3 - Editing 101: The importance of enhancing your carefully collected images to evoke emotion and reflection

-strategies for editing using photography apps such as Lightroom and Facetune (improving the lighting, cropping out unnecessary content, straightening the photo, sharpening the details, adding presets, etc.)

-samples of before and after images in my photo library

-hands-on experience editing your own photographs with the apps suggested





Part 4 - Conveying the learning process: Ways to share your photographs with students, families, and the community

-celebrating your learning on social media, portfolios, newsletters, classroom walls, slideshows, and more

-sharing samples of my own project work

-hands-on experience taking your images and working through new skills of graphic design







This workshop series is intended for educators/parents of infants all the way to twelve year olds (Grade 6 students) who value the research process, where children are involved as active participants. It will be available in face-to-face, blended, and fully online options. You are welcome to register for one part in isolation, or all in a sequence depending on your interests.


Format for all workshops (listed above):

• mixed lecture, hands-on, and studio tour 
• all power point slides and resources will be provided digitally through google docs 

These sessions will include:

• Insights from my Reggio Emilia research 
• Inspiration from my most recent visit to Reggio Emilia, Italy (April 2019)  
• Hands-on creative and practical learning (theory to practice) 
• A tour of my new studio space and the opportunity to view samples of my current documentation/portfolios 
• Window into my 0-8 year old learning programs with children and families 
• Chance to ask questions
• Variety of teas, coffee and delicious pastries 
• A new network or support system so that you don't feel alone in your commitment to offering high quality early learning to children
• Certificate of participation 

Location: TransformEd Creative Studio and Learning Centre - Woodbridge, Ontario (Islington and Major Mackenzie)




Part 1 - November 20th, 2019 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Part 2 - February 26th, 2020 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Part 3 - Date TBD

Part 4 - Date TBD


Outside of these suggested studio dates, childcare centres, school boards, colleges/universities, independent schools, and or grade teams can request private workshops at their desired pace during the 2019-2020 school year calendar.





For more information, please contact TransformEd Consulting Services joannemariebabalis@gmail.com to begin planning what I already know will be an incredible experience for us all to grow as researchers and learners!





P.S. This topic is very near and dear to my heart, and own personal inquiry - most especially as a visual learner! I live and breathe educational photography in the TransformEd Creative Studio and Learning Centre every single day and it also happens to be the basis of my PhD dissertation. I would love nothing more than to support your professional learning and to help give voice to ALL children by capturing photographs of their creative thinking!

Only the photo on the bottom left hand corner is what I would consider to be an example of education photography.  A photo that has the ability to make us think or teaches us to look more closely.  The other pictures are examples of of photos that are "cute" but too staged and not authentic to inquiry learning. 

Investment for learning:

$125+HST ($141.25) for Face-to-face - In The TransformEd Creative Studio and Learning Centre with a chance to tour the space and enjoy tea/coffee and pastries

$100+HST ($113) for Online - Using the Google Hangouts Platform 

Please email me if you would like to participate and let me know which date or workshop you are joining.

In order to keep the numbers small, again please email me to ensure that there is space on your preferred date prior to making payment.  Our sessions fill up quickly, however, I will add more evenings to accommodate everyone's request to participate! 

Please also note: All sessions are non-refundable, as the numbers affect overall planning and coordination.  You may, however, give your spot to someone else and email me about the changes so that I can update my list.  Think of this like a ticket to a concert - once you register, your spot is confirmed.  Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.