A YEAR IN REVIEW: 2021

ANOTHER YEAR GONE BY…

And what a year it has been! As with most aspects of life as we knew it, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic required the Strive team to continue to shift and adapt in our known and familiar ways of engaging in our work, namely virtual professional learning. While not without its hiccups, we have been so pleasantly surprised by the different ways online platforms have allowed us to grow as a professional learning community.

From small, intimate Communities of Practice, to multi-evening series, to community meetings, to our fist every virtual Winter Rethink where we welcomed over 200 fellow early learning professionals on the screen with us, it has been a real gift getting to stretch in our practices and connect and engage together in new ways.

As I am sure many of you can relate to, this year also had us taking stock in the many, significant imbalances that exist in our social systems both historically and contemporarily. A big focus of our work has therefore prioritized continuing to confront and challenge the ways those imbalances and inequities show up within Early Childhood Education and Care.

We are so very grateful to those who have stepped in to help guide our learning, those who have shown us grace when we stumbled, and those who have joined us and shown incredible humility and vulnerability in confronting hard truths and acknowledging where we still have work to do.

We look forward to continuing to disrupt those inherited practices and inequitable ways of knowing and being that ultimately interfere with our ability to make spaces for children, families, and professionals as safe, just, inclusive and welcoming as possible.

The virtual orientation of the pandemic made our world feel a whole lot smaller, allowing us to connect with facilitators from far and wide across Ontario, Canada and internationally as well. However, it has been the local collaborations we have engaged in that really stand out.

We have had the distinct privilege of partnering with LUSO Community Services, Anova, Family Centres London, The London Homeless Coalition, All Kids Belong, the Culturally Safe Spaces Committee, The Middlesex-London Health Unit, The Licensed Child Care Network, Childreach, Fanshawe College, The Child and Youth Network, Thames Valley Children’s Centre, The London InterCommunity Health Centre, Atlohsa, and CMHA Middlesex just to name a few.

These collaborations stand out namely because they speak of the immeasurable strength of community and immense professional expertise and knowledge that exists here in London, Middlesex, and Elgin.

None of the success we experienced this year happened in a vacuum.

We could not have done any of it without the support and guidance of our Advisory Committee, Professional Learning Committees, Childreach, and the ever supportive Child Care and Early Years teams with the city of London, County of Middlesex, and Elgin County. We are so grateful.

Throughout it all, the ups and the downs, the surprises, the joys, the challenges, the one constant has been YOU. The child care and early years community. Our most heartfelt thanks for numerous ways you show up alongside us and support us. Your dedication is remarkable.

This year we have welcomed over 2,500 early years professionals at over 70 learning opportunities. You put your trust in us to help you realize your professional learning goals and we don’t take that for granted.

We are already hard at work planning for a new year of exciting opportunities for learning, growth, reflection and community in 2022. Not to mention, our biggest and most beloved annual tradition, Winter Rethink!

Certainly our biggest wish for the coming year is a return to in-person learning opportunities (oh how we long to see your smiling faces beyond the breakout room!). With vaccination rates ever on the rise, we feel a palpable sense of hope that we may soon see that realized.

We know another year of Covid-19 protocols and restrictions, social distancing, sanitizing, masks, goggles, etc. has not been easy and we hope you continue to feel immense pride in the ways you have shown up, and continue to show up, for children and families in our community.

You are SO ESSENTIAL. You are SO APPRECIATED.

Thank you for continuing to join us in Leading Inspired Learning. We look forward to connecting again in 2022!

Wishing you a happy, healthy, and peaceful holiday season,

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PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT: DONNA FLEMMING

Child care and early years professionals are a precious commodity and essential part of happy, healthy, and successful communities. Now, more than ever, we know how important it is to have caring adults supporting young children and families.

We are so proud to be a part of this vibrant community and this Professional Spotlight Series recognizes the outstanding efforts, innovations, and contributions of our treasured colleagues across the sector.

We are delighted to introduce you to Donna Flemming, RECE and EarlyON Facilitator for Middlesex. Donna is a nature enthusiast, admired by her colleagues and the families she supports for her kindness, creativity, and ability to foster genuine connections with those around her.

Keep reading to learn more about Donna!

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Tell us a bit about yourself…

My name is Donna Fleming. I graduated from the Early Childhood Education program at Fanshawe College in 1985. I have had various roles with children throughout my career, from teaching Sunday School, to camp counsellor, child care teacher, to EarlyON Facilitator in Middlesex. 

I am a mother of three, almost-grown boys, who are the light of my life. They make me laugh the loudest, cry the hardest, and stay true to myself.

Tell us why you chose a pathway in Early Childhood Education and Care…

I became an aunt when I was five years old and absolutely loved it! I have always had a genuine interest in the well-being of all children, so a career in Early Childhood Education was a no-brainer. 

What is the best part of your role?

Nurturing children’s interest in the natural world and helping them to become more environmentally aware. I love to see them outdoors, noticing the sights, sounds, smells around them, and falling in love with nature.

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I WAS IMMEDIATELY DRAWN TO MICHELE WHEN WE MET 1997. SHE HAS HUMOUR AND A KNACK FOR LIGHTENING SITUATIONS WITH AN APPROPRIATE LAUGH OR SEVERAL!

SHE IS PASSIONATE, ENERGETIC, CONSTANTLY SEEKING KNOWLEDGE AND ALWAYS CREATIVE. SHE IS TENACIOUS, DETERMINED, AN EFFECTIVE MENTOR AND TEAM PLAYER. MICHELE EMBODIES AN ATTITUDE OF FAIRNESS, LOGIC AND UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE. SHE HAS A KNACK FOR MAKING PEOPLE FEEL AT EASE. HER CAREER SPANS OVER DECADES, YET HER KNOWLEDGE SPONGE NEVER DRIES!

MICHELE HAS RAISED 2 GROWN CHILDREN: AN EDUCATOR AND AN ENTREPRENEUR. SHE ALSO HAS A DEVOTED AND SUPPORTIVE HUSBAND, SO SHE DEFINITELY PRACTICES WHAT SHE PREACHES! I RESPECT MICHELE AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND HOW SHE HAS FOSTERED GROWTH AND CONFIDENCE IN ALL WHO ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE IN HER PRESENCE. PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY, SHE IS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO MOTIVATES AND INSPIRES!

DID I MENTION HUMOUR? LOL. SOMETIMES THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE A PERSON IS THROUGH A VISUAL. I WORKED AT PARKWOOD FOR 23 YEARS BEFORE MOVING BACK TO THE EAST COAST 2 YEARS AGO. IT WILL ALWAYS MAKE ME SMILE TO THINK OF SO MANY CHILDREN, PARENTS, FAMILIES AND COLLEAGUES, WHO HAVE LAUGHED AND GIGGLED OVER THE YEARS AND SAID, “MICHELE IS SO FUNNY.” A BEAUTIFUL KNACK TO HAVE.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO RAVE ABOUT A WELL-DESERVED EDUCATOR IN THE FIELD OF EARLY LEARNING! SHE IS A GEM AND I APPRECIATE HER KINDNESS, RESILIENCY AND GOOD HUMOUR.

– PAULA HODDER, RECE

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What is something you’ve learned recently that you’re excited about…

I have had to learn a lot of new skills /roles as a team leader. I embrace the challenge and am learning so much about the profession and myself in the process. You are never too old to learn and apply yourself!

What is something you’re unlearning…

I still have a lot of unlearning and learning around Indigenous cultures and teachings. In fact, I still need to learn a lot about inclusion and diversity as a whole. I see this and am willing to address it. I feel we all are in a process of learning alongside of and with each other to gain a better understanding of each individual in this world we share.

What advice would you give someone considering pursuing a career in Early Childhood Education?

That it is the most rewarding profession in that we get to witness the development of each child. Every child has a different learning style and pace. “Each child is unique, not only capable of learning but also of succeeding” (Robert John Meehan). We have to discover what each child needs, then provide and promote it. It should be our goal as an ECE to observe what each child needs emotionally, physically, to be able to communicate effectively and regulate appropriately. Be present and engaged with every child in your care and effectively listen to what they have to say.

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I AM SO HAPPY THAT DONNA HAS BEEN NOMINATED . SHE IS SO DESERVING OF RECOGNITION FOR HER OUTSTANDING EFFORTS!

I AM A MOTHER WHO ATTENDS DONNA’S PROGRAMMING ON A REGULAR BASIS WITH MY SON, CASH. I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING DONNA FOR 4 YEARS NOW. WE FIRST MET AT AN EARLYON PROGRAM. SHE WORKS SO HARD DOES A FANTASTIC JOB.

I KNOW FIRST-HAND HOW MUCH DONNA ENRICHES THE LIVES OF OUR CHILDREN. SHE ALWAYS GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE EACH CHILD FEEL SPECIAL AND HEARD. SHE ASK QUESTIONS, AND ENCOURAGES THE CHILDREN TO BE CREATIVE AND TRY NEW ACTIVITIES. PRIOR TO COVID, WE WOULD ATTEND DONNA’S PROGRAMS EVERY MONDAY AND THURSDAY. MY SON BEGAN TO REFER TO THE ILDERTON LIBRARY AS “DONNA’S HOUSE.” WHEN THE PANDEMIC HAPPENED, DONNA WAS SUCH A LIGHT FOR US. THROUGH HER YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF NATURE HIKES, COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS, STORY TIMES AND SINGING SONGS, DONNA KEPT US ENGAGED AND CONNECTED.

DONNA ALSO STARTED UP THE NATURE SERIES, WHERE WE GO ON HIKES EXPLORING THE LOCAL WOODS AND CONSERVATION AREAS. ON THESE HIKES, SHE ENCOURAGED THE CHILDREN TO EXPLORE THEIR SURROUNDINGS, BUILD TENTS OUT OF STICKS, MAKE SNOWMEN, JOURNAL FINDINGS, AND IDENTIFY PLANT, ANIMAL, AND INSECT SPECIES. DONNA’S ENTHUSIASM AND LOVE FOR THE OUTDOORS IS ABSOLUTELY CONTAGIOUS AND THE KIDS LOVE IT.

RECENTLY WE ATTENDED HER TEDDY BEAR PICNIC AND HAD SO MUCH FUN. SHE HAD EVEN MADE A TEDDY BEAR VERSION OF THE “CORN HOLE” GAME, CONSTRUCTED OUT OF WOOD WHICH SHE HAD HAND PAINTED A BEAR ON.

DONNA CREATES SUCH A SAFE, WELCOMING, OPEN SPACE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND HAS BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE OF MY PARENTING JOURNEY. I ADMIRE HER CAPACITY FOR DEMONSTRATING PATIENCE, UNDERSTANDING, AND POSITIVITY, WHICH BRINGS SO MUCH LIFE TO HER PROGRAMMING. I REALLY CAN’T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT DONNA. THOUGH I MET HER THROUGH THE EARLYON, SHE HAS BECOME A TREASURED FRIEND.

DONNA PUTS SO MUCH HEART AND SOUL INTO EVERYTHING SHE DOES. SHE WILL FOREVER LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION FOR HER KINDNESS, ENTHUSIASM, AND ABILITY TO MAKE US FEEL SO SPECIAL.

– ERICA RIDDELL, EARLYON FAMILY

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What is something you’ve learned recently that you’re excited about?

With Autumn upon us, I have been discovering many types of mushrooms and fungi on my hikes. I have been familiarizing myself with various types and even found some that are tasty to eat!

What is something you’re unlearning?

I have been working on how I react to others and not trying to sway others’ perspectives or opinions. Realizing that I can’t control anyone else’s behaviour and instead looking inward, brings me a sense of freedom.

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DONNA STARTED WORKING WITH ONTARIO EARLY YEARS CENTRE IN 2017 (KNOWN NOW AS MIDDLESEX EARLYON). DONNA RADIATES ENTHUSIASM, PASSION AND POSITIVITY AND THAT ENERGY CAN BE FELT IN EVERY PROGRAM SHE OFFERS.

SHE HAS A PROFOUND LOVE FOR NATURE AND NATURE-BASED LEARNING. THIS PASSION LED HER TO DEVELOP AN OUTDOOR ADVENTURERS CLUB, A NATURE-BASED PROGRAM WHERE CHILDREN CAN ENJOY FREE PLAY AND ADVENTURES IN LEARNING IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS. FINDING TOADS, SALAMANDERS OR CICADAS, ALL BECOME AN ENTHUSIASTIC ‘SHOW & TELL’ BY DONNA WITH THE CHILDREN. THIS PROGRAM HAS BECOME EXTREMELY POPULAR IN OUR MIDDLESEX COMMUNITIES, CERTAINLY IN PART DUE TO DONNA’S LEADERSHIP.

DONNA SHOWS SINCERE INTEREST IN OTHERS. SHE IS KIND, COMPASSIONATE AND EMPATHIC. THESE CHARACTERISTICS HAVE LED TO AUTHENTIC CONNECTIONS WITH THE FAMILIES SHE WORKS WITH.

IT IS EVIDENT THAT HER WORK GENUINELY BRINGS HER JOY. HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS COMMUNITY ARE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED AND VALUED.

– NADINE DEVIN, EARLY YEARS PROJECT MANAGER, COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX

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What advice would you give someone considering pursuing a career in Early Childhood Education?

Keep an open mind and think outside the box. When I was in college, I thought working in a child care centre was my only option, but there are so many amazing roles and career options in this sector.

How has professional learning contributed to your practice?

I am constantly learning, growing, and modifying my approach to my practice. Learning from others’ knowledge has helped me to become a more effective Educator.

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AFTER MOVING TO THE THORNDALE AREA, THE FIRST PLACE I TOOK MY CHILDREN TO TRY AND MEET SOME NEW FRIENDS WAS TO AN EARLYON DROP-IN AT OUR LOCAL LIBRARY. WE WERE INSTANTLY WELCOMED BY THE FRIENDLY FACILITATOR, DONNA.

DONNA’S GENUINE PASSION FOR WORKING WITH CHILDREN WAS OBVIOUS. FROM HER NATURAL ABILITY TO QUICKLY DEVELOP A BOND WITH THE KIDS, TO SHARING ALL OF HER CREATIVE AND FUN IDEAS WITH US, DONNA SOON BECAME A SPECIAL PERSON IN OUR LIVES. SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE ACTIVITIES WITH DONNA INCLUDE MAKING SMOOTHIES AT PLAYGROUP, ZOOM DANCE PARTIES, FOLLOWING ALONG THE ADVENTURES OF NUTSY THE SQUIRREL, EXPLORING NATURE ON OUR ADVENTURE HIKES AND A VERY SPECIAL TEDDY BEAR PICNIC!

OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH DONNA BECAME EVEN MORE APPRECIATED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. WITH ALL EARLYON PROGRAMMING SWITCHING TO AN ONLINE FORMAT, DONNA WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND TO REGULARLY CHECK IN ON ME AND THE KIDS. DURING A TIME WHERE IT WAS EASY TO FEEL ISOLATED, DONNA WAS ABLE TO FOSTER A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, EVEN VIRTUALLY. SHE WAS EVEN ABLE TO MAKE A COUPLE OF PORCH VISITS SO SHE COULD STILL SAY HI TO THE KIDS IN A SAFE WAY.

DONNA IS ONE OF A KIND! ALTHOUGH IT MAY BE HER JOB, IT IS CLEAR WHAT JOY IT BRINGS HER TO CONNECT WITH ALL OF HER EARLYON FAMILIES. MY KIDS CONTINUE TO LIGHT UP WHENEVER WE GET TO ATTEND A PROGRAM WITH DONNA. IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO KNOW HER AND WE WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL FOR THE WONDERFUL IMPACT SHE HAD ON OUR FAMILY. SHE TRULY WELCOMED US TO OUR NEW COMMUNITY AND HELPED SHAPE OUR EXPERIENCE LIVING HERE.

– JESSICA, EARLYON FAMILY

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Tell us about a recent professional learning experience that had a positive impact on you.

Recently I took a course called 4 Seasons of Reconciliation, a training opportunity to support respectful relationships with Indigenous peoples in the workplace. Through this course, I gained a greater understanding and appreciation of Indigenous peoples and cultures. We are currently looking for ways to bring Indigenous knowledges into our programming, to further foster an inclusive environment. 

What inspires you…

The children in my programs inspire me every day! When I see how they respond to something that I have shared with them, I am encouraged to keep going and to learn more, so I can share more.

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WE WERE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE MET DONNA AT THE EARLYON PROGRAM JUST PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC. WE ENTERED THE PANDEMIC WITH HAVING OUR THIRD BABY, A TODDLER AND OUR OLDEST, WHO WAS IN SK AT THE TIME. AS MANY WELL KNOW, ENTERTAINING A TODDLER CAN BE QUITE DEMANDING, SO WE WERE REALLY APPRECIATIVE TO HAVE DONNA PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN FOSTERING OUR MIDDLE CHILD’S LEARNING AND ENCOURAGING HIS CONFIDENCE.

WE ARE THANKFUL TO HAVE DONNA’S CONTINUED SUPPORT THROUGH THE EARLYON AND CAN SEE THE POSITIVE IMPACT ON CHILD AS HE STARTED JK THIS SEPTEMBER.

WE SO HAPPY CAN NOW SEE DONNA’S BRIGHT SMILING FACE IN PERSON AS WE ATTEND HER PROGRAMS WITH OUR YOUNGEST. WE ESPECIALLY LOVE THE HIKES SHE LEADS AND ENJOY THE POSITIVE ENERGY SHE BRINGS. SHE IS ALWAYS WILLING TO GET DOWN TO THE CHILDREN’S LEVEL AND JUMP IN THE MUD RIGHT WITH THEM! HER HARD WORK AND CONTINUED ENTHUSIASM DOESN’T GO UNNOTICED. I KNOW WE, AND MANY OTHER FAMILIES, TRULY VALUE HER DEDICATION TO OUR CHILDREN. DONNA, YOU ARE A BRIGHT LIGHT TO OUR CHILDREN AND COMMUNITIES.

– SARA, EARLYON FAMILY

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Do you have a favourite quote…

“Today is a good day to have a good day!”

Tell us some things you enjoy doing in your spare time.

I love anything in the outdoors, gardening, camping, hiking, kayaking. I also love to read memoirs or fiction books.

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Thank you, Donna, for everything you do for children, families, and other professionals in this community.  We are incredibly proud to know you.

Join us in celebrating Donna by dropping her a comment below!

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Do you know an outstanding early years professional that deserves to be recognized?

Someone who:

• takes an active leadership role within their community;

• has a demonstrated ability to build strong relationships;

• shows a loving and respectful commitment to children, families, and the ECEC profession;

• exudes professionalism and maintains enthusiasm for their continued commitment to ongoing professional learning.

  Then nominate them to be our next Professional Spotlight!

Email your nominations to info@striveswo.ca

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PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT: JACKIE ANGER

Child care and early years professionals are a precious commodity and essential part of happy, healthy, and successful communities. Now, more than ever,we know how important it is to have caring adults supporting young children and families.

We are so proud to be a part of this vibrant community and this Professional Spotlight Series recognizes the outstanding efforts, innovations, and contributions of our treasured colleagues across the sector.

We are delighted to introduce you to Jackie Anger, RECE and a Director of School Age Child Care. Jackie is a dynamic leader whose passion and dedication to the profession, her colleagues, and children and families are undeniable. Jackie leads from the heart, and it shows.

Keep reading to learn more about Jackie!

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Tell us a bit about yourself…

Hello! I’m Jackie Anger. I proudly live and work in Elgin County. I am the Director of School Age Child Care the YWCA St.Thomas-Elgin. I have two children: Andrew (7) and Arden (2). I’ve been lucky enough to experience the benefits of both home child care, and centre-based care for my children. Both have been wonderful and supportive in their own ways.

I’ve been with the YWCA since 2007 (mostly!), and have been in this role since 2018. I have always worked with children and youth in various ways including in supporting mentoring programs for children, working as a residential counsellor in mental health treatment facilities, employment projects, or working with young people who have experiences as crown wards. Very proudly, I completed my ECE Fast-Track, Accelerated Diploma in April, and graduated with honours.

In my work, I’m super passionate about promoting mental health in our programs, for both children and our Educators.

I love milk chocolate and dark coffee and my favourite food is toasted marshmallows.

What led you to a career in Early Childhood Education and Care?

I love building teams and collaboration, as well as supporting children and families. This career is the perfect fit for me. I always knew I wanted to work with children. I worked at our small local library growing up and on our children’s programming nights I was able to connect with children through literacy.

What is the best part of your role?

I love seeing AH HA moments when an idea connects with our Educators that brings them closer to the children in their program. I love it when I get to shout “THIS IS COMMUNITY!” when we gain traction on a concept with families, schools, or operators. I love being the lighthouse that helps folks find their own way in their practice.

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I AM THRILLED TO SHARE WITH YOU WHY JACKIE IS A SPECIAL PERSON TO WORK WITH AND A SPECIAL CHILDCARE PROFESSIONAL. THERE IS SO MUCH!

JACKIE PUTS EVERYONE BEFORE HERSELF, INCLUDING CHILDREN, FAMILIES, STAFF, AND COLLEAGUES. HER WORK IS CHILD-LED, AND PEOPLE-LED. SHE LEADS WITH HER HEART AND THAT IS SO IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY IN TIMES LIKE THESE.

JACKIE PAYS A CLOSE EYE TO MENTAL HEALTH, THE EFFECTS COVID-19 MAY BE HAVING ON THOSE AROUND HER, AND ALWAYS CHECKS IN ON HOW PEOPLE ARE FEELING. IF YOU TELL JACKIE SOMETHING IMPORTANT IS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE, LIKE A BIRTHDAY OR A CAMPING TRIP YOU ARE EXCITED ABOUT, SHE WILL REMEMBER AND ASK YOU ABOUT IT! IT IS TRULY SPECIAL TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO CARES ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS.

JACKIE IS A GREAT PERSON TO REACH OUT TO FOR SUPPORT. JUST YESTERDAY I SAID “JACKIE, I COULD USE SOME HELP PROBLEM SOLVING THIS AND ORGANIZING MY THOUGHTS” AND SHE JUMPED RIGHT IN, HELPING ME WORK THROUGH MY THOUGHTS, AND REASSURING ME THAT SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED ANOTHER BRAIN! I OFTEN REACH OUT TO JACKIE FOR SUPPORT, AS SHE HAS SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE FROM HER BACKGROUND IN BOTH CYC AND ECE.

JACKIE RECENTLY GRADUATED FROM THE ECE PROGRAM AS IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HER TO CONTINUE LEARNING AND GROWING HER KNOWLEDGE IN CHILDCARE. HER HARD WORK AS A STUDENT AND ACTING DIRECTOR AMAZES ME (SHE IS ALSO A WIFE AND MOTHER!). I BELIEVE JACKIE’S DEDICATION TO KNOWLEDGE, LEARNING AND CONSTANTLY GROWING AS A PROFESSIONAL, EVEN WHILE SITTING IN THE DIRECTORS’ CHAIR, REALLY SHOWS WHAT MAKES HER A SPECIAL CHILDCARE PROFESSIONAL. JACKIE ALWAYS ENCOURAGES OTHERS IN THEIR GROWTH AS WELL.

NOT ONLY IS JACKIE KIND, AND SMART, BUT SHE IS FUN AND THE MOST BUBBLY PERSON I HAVE EVER MET. BEING FUN AND BUBBLY ARE VERY SPECIAL QUALITIES IN A CHILDCARE PROFESSIONAL. JACKIE IS THE PERFECT PERSON TO GO TO FOR A PICK-ME-UP, CREATIVE GAME, OR FUN IDEA. SHE ALWAYS HAS FUNNY STORIES FROM CHILDCARE (LIKE DRESSING UP AS A CLOWN TO THE POINT WHERE CHILDREN AND STAFF DID NOT RECOGNIZE HER) AND SHE IS NOT AFRAID TO GET HER HANDS DIRTY. I HAVE SEEN JACKIE STEP BACK TO CLEAN UP SOME PAINT SO ANOTHER EDUCATOR, WITH THE BEST THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP, CAN JUMP IN AND PROBLEM SOLVE WITH A CHILD NEEDING SUPPORT.

JACKIE KNOWS WHEN TO STEP IN, AND STEP BACK. JACKIE KNOWS WHEN A CHILD, OR STAFF NEEDS GUIDANCE, SPACE, OR SOME LOVE.

JACKIE HAS PERSONALLY DONE SO MUCH FOR ME. I STRUGGLE WITH MY MENTAL HEALTH, AND THIS HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR ME THROUGH MY CAREER. IF I EVER HAVE A CHALLENGING DAY, JACKIE HAS BEEN A PHENOMENAL SUPPORT TO ME. IN THE PAST, IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO DISCLOSE OR NAVIGATE THROUGH MY ILLNESS WITH MY EMPLOYER. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT THE CASE WITH JACKIE. I FEEL SAFE, SUPPORTED, AND CARED ABOUT. I COULD NOT ASK FOR ANYTHING MORE FROM A BOSS, MENTOR, AND VERY SPECIAL COLLEAGUE.

I TRULY ASPIRE TO BE A LEADER AS GREAT AS JACKIE ONE DAY. JACKIE SPENDS HER TIME SHEDDING THE SPOTLIGHT ON OTHERS SO OFTEN, AND I AM HONORED TO SHED THE PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT ON HER TODAY.

– TORI HOWARTH, CHILDCARE COORDINATOR, YWCA ST. THOMAS-ELGIN

What is something you’ve learned recently that you’re excited about?

EVERYTHING. Being a new graduate of the ECE program, I feel so pumped to support our Educators with innovative problem-solving opportunities that meets their needs. I have joined a few Communities of Practice locally, as well as regionally through Strive. I love connecting with other folks in like minded ways and it’s truly rocking my world when I am able to bring these ideas back to our organization. Our next move is working on our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy in our Department. This was spurred by a great workshop from Anisha Angella and hosted by Strive.

What is something you’re unlearning?

The pressure of having an answer for everything. I’m leaning into the vulnerability of being a co-learner alongside our staff.

What advice would you give someone considering pursuing a career in Early Childhood Education

Not all heroes wear capes. Childcare Workers and Early Childhood Educators literally keep society’s wheels turning and families afloat. It takes more than just loving kids but you NEED to put that at the core of all you do. I think the pandemic has helped society change their view on how they see childcare professionals. We are not babysitters. We are professional educators and caregivers. We bear witness to children’s emotional, intellectual, psychological development. We are advocates, professional communicators, and hold space for developing humans and their families every day.

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JACKIE INSPIRES US TO LEARN MORE AND TO BECOME MORE. SHE IS PERSONABLE, TAKES THE TIME TO GET TO KNOW HER TEAM AND EMBRACES THEM AS A WHOLE.  AS A MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE, SHE SPEAKS UP AGAINST THE STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH MENTAL HEALTH DIFFICULTIES, AND CREATES A WORKING ENVIRONMENT THAT ALLOWS ACCEPTANCE, COOPERATION AND A SENSE OF TOGETHERNESS. 

FAMILIES AND EDUCATORS AT THE YWCA ST. THOMAS ELGIN HAVE BEEN POSITIVELY IMPACTED BY HER LEADERSHIP AND OUTSTANDING KNOWLEDGE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. 

HAVING HER AS MY MENTOR HAS BEEN ONE OF THE GREATEST HIGHLIGHTS IN MY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. WORKING ALONGSIDE HER HAS NOT ONLY HELPED ME BECOME A BETTER LEADER BUT ALSO A BETTER PERSON.

– MARIA GUEVARA, RECE

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How has professional learning contributed to your practice?

It has changed me profoundly. Loving kids or having leadership skills is not enough to have a sound and round practice. Historical information from my now 16-year-old college diploma was not enough. Constantly growing, evaluating, reflecting, and inquiring has changed my practice to the core. Committing to professional learning has changed my leadership style. It’s re-prioritized our teams’ goals. Through the ECE Program, and the professional learning opportunities I’ve done since, I am a different educator and leader.

Tell us about a recent professional learning experience that had a positive impact on you.

Well…aside from my whole ECE program… I did a workshop on Simple Interactions and I loved that very much. It is a partnership between the Fred Rogers Institute and Harvard University. I loved how day to day simple interactions can set the pace for our children in profound ways. I also recently attended a workshop through Strive with Anisha Angella on diversity. It will deeply impact the next few months of our EDI strategy.

What inspires you?

Our teams here. When our staff present us with a challenge they’re facing, it inspires me to collaborate and want to do better for them and for our children. I love collaborative problem solving. It also inspires me when I see leadership traits in our field from newer staff and they do something to dare greatly. I love the learning continuum.

Do you have a favourite quote?

“WE CAN DO HARD THINGS”

– GLENNON DOYLE

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JACKIE IS THE TYPE OF LEADER WHO IS WORKING TOWARDS LONG-TERM CHANGE AND IMPROVEMENT WITHIN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (ECE). SHE RECENTLY COMPLETED HER ECE DIPLOMA TO SUPPORT HER GROWING UNDERSTANDING OF PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE AND LEGISLATIVE DOCUMENTS, SO THAT SHE CAN BETTER FOCUS THE FOUNDATIONS AND DIRECTIONS OF HER PROFESSIONAL WORK. JACKIE IS AN ADVOCATE FOR EDUCATOR MENTAL HEALTH THROUGH EFFORTS IN SETTING ORGANIZATIONAL STANDARDS FOR RESPONSE AND SUPPORT TO EDUCATOR NEEDS AND MANAGEMENT RESPONSE (FOR EXAMPLE, THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT ‘MENTAL HEALTH DAYS’ ARE SICK DAYS).  SHE IS ALSO CURRENTLY SPEARHEADING AN ORGANIZATIONAL INITIATIVE TO BOOST THE PERCEPTION OF SCHOOL-AGE CHILDCARE FROM A ‘STOP IN BETWEEN’ TO MEANINGFUL PROGRAMMING FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

JACKIE DEDICATES HERSELF TO ENSURING THE EDUCATORS SHE ENCOUNTERS ARE SUPPORTED AND KNOW THEY ARE VALUED. FROM REIMBURSEMENT OF CECE REGISTRATION FEES, TO REVIEWING AND FINE-TUNING ORGANIZATIONAL PROCEDURES TO REDUCE WORKLOAD AND SUPPORT THE REALISTIC FLOW OF WORK AND INTERACTIONS WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. BEYOND POLICY AND PROCEDURE DEVELOPMENT, JACKIE PRIORITIZES, ABOVE ALL ELSE, A MUTUAL RESPECT AND SUPPORT WITH OTHERS. THESE VALUES EXTEND NOT ONLY THROUGH THE TEAM OF EDUCATORS SHE WORKS WITH, BUT ALSO THE FAMILIES, CHILDREN, SCHOOL BOARD OFFICIAL, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS SHE WORKS WITH. BEYOND PROFESSIONAL ADVOCACY, JACKIE IS AN ALLY AND A SUPPORT TO COUNT ON WHEN IN NEED OR WHEN YOU NEED A SPACE TO THINK INNOVATIVELY- OR CRITICALLY. 

I COUNT MYSELF AS LUCKY TO HAVE HER IN MY CORNER AND SHE IS A LARGE PART OF THE REASON I AM WITH THE ORGANIZATION THAT I AM WITH. I PREDICT AND CAN ALREADY SEE THAT HER IMPACT FOR ST. THOMAS AND ELGIN IN THE LONG-TERM WILL BE PROFOUND.

– KAYLA BARTLETT, RECE

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Tell us some things you enjoy doing in your spare time.

Spending time glamping at the trailer on the Nith River in the summer, reading and drinking coffee while it is still hot.

If you were an ice cream flavour, what flavour would you be and why?

Unicorn Toots? Just kidding- I’m going to go with my fave from Shaw’s- Sweet and Salty Pretzel. I’m mostly sweet, but can be fairly sarcastic sometimes, or have an unexpected twist, much like the saltiness of the pretzel.

Anything else you would like to add?

I’m so grateful to my teammate for nominating me for this. I am quite touched and lucky to be in this role learning and working alongside them. I’m also so grateful for all the support and learnings available through Strive!!

Thank you, Jackie, for everything you do for children, families, and other professionals in this community. We are incredibly proud to know you.

Join us in celebrating Jackie by dropping her a comment below!

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Do you know an outstanding early years professional that deserves to be recognized?

Someone who:

• takes an active leadership role within their community;

• has a demonstrated ability to build strong relationships;

• shows a loving and respectful commitment to children, families, and the ECEC profession;

• exudes professionalism and maintains enthusiasm for their continued commitment to ongoing professional learning.

  Then nominate them to be our next Professional Spotlight!

Email your nominations to info@striveswo.ca

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PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT: LORENA ARAUZ

Child care and early years professionals are a precious commodity and essential part of happy, healthy, and successful communities. Now, more than ever, we know how important it is to have caring adults supporting young children and families.

We are so proud to be a part of this vibrant community and this Professional Spotlight Series is intended to recognize the many outstanding efforts, innovations, and contributions of our treasured colleagues across the sector.

We are delighted to introduce you to Lorena Arauz, a Parent Support Coach at Childreach. Lorena is well-known amongst her colleagues (who the Strive team is lucky to count themselves among) and the families she supports, for her passion, friendly and encouraging attitude, and creativity.

Keep reading to learn more about Lorena!

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Tell us a bit about yourself…

Hi! My name is Lorena Arauz. I have an Early Childhood Education diploma from Fanshawe College. During my last placement – a kindergarten classroom, I decided I wanted to pursue a career in teaching. Soon after I graduated from Fanshawe, I started my undergraduate program at King’s University College, and then I attended UWO for the Bachelor of Education. I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science. I have worked at Childreach for almost four years as a Parent Support Coach, facilitating community programs, co-facilitating Wild Child playgroups, various camps, and infant massage classes. I am so grateful for the opportunity to hone my skills and grow in my profession as an Educator at Childreach.

Describe the role of a Parent Support Coach.

A Parent Support Coach is committed to supporting and strengthening families through learning opportunities, such as parent workshops and quality EarlyON programs for children and caregivers. In addition, a Parent Support Coach develops strong connections with the families that participate in programs. They are knowledgeable about services and agencies in the community, and they make sure that families are informed about the programs, services and resources available to them.

What is the best part of your role?

The best part of my role is building rapport and fostering positive relationships and connections with the families that I work with. I also love that I have the freedom to be creative when designing and planning programs for Childreach.

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I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH LORENA FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS. TO WITNESS LORENA INTERACTING WITH FAMILIES AND FACILITATING THEIR LEARNING EXPERIENCE WITH UNEXPECTED SENSORY PLAY MATERIALS, AND ENGAGING SONGS AND STORIES IS MESMERIZING. IT’S NO WONDER THAT FAMILIES FOLLOW HER ALL AROUND THE CITY TO SOAK UP THAT MAGIC!

LORENA IS EXTREMELY CHILD-FOCUSED WITH A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF CHILDREN’S DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR NEEDS. HER INTERACTIONS WITH THE CHILDREN IN HER PROGRAMS WHETHER THEY ARE INFANTS, TODDLERS OR SCHOOL-AGED, DEMONSTRATE HER PASSION AND SINCERITY FOR HER WORK. HER CREATIVITY AND INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO PROGRAM DELIVERY HAVE SPARKED PROGRAMS SUCH AS PINT-SIZED PICASSOS, WILD BABIES, INFANT & TODDLER SENSORY LABS, MOBILE ART STUDIO, STORY TIME STEAM, AND VIRTUAL KITCHEN PANTRY SCIENCE! ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE WELL-THOUGHT OUT, AGE-APPROPRIATE AND PROVIDE RICH SENSORY PLAY EXPERIENCES FOR FAMILIES AND NURTURE CURIOSITY IN CHILDREN.

OVER THE PANDEMIC, I HAVE BEEN SO IMPRESSED BY LORENA’S FLEXIBILITY TO ADAPT AND FINE-TUNE HER VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON PROGRAMS ON AN ON-GOING BASIS WHETHER IT BE CHANGING THE TIME OF DAY TO ACCOMMODATE NAPS, OR ADDING KITS TO ENSURE EVERYONE HAD THE RIGHT SUPPLIES, OR EMAILING FRIENDLY PROMPTS TO REMIND FAMILIES OF UPCOMING PROGRAMS. IF SOMETHING IS NOT WORKING, SHE WILL FIX IT. LORENA WAS THE FIRST ON OUR TEAM TO DEVELOP AND SHARE BEST PRACTICES FOR VIRTUAL PROGRAMS USING ZOOM BY RESEARCHING AND COLLECTING WHAT WORKED AND FIXING WHAT DIDN’T. IT’S SELF-INITIATED PROJECTS LIKE THIS THAT DEMONSTRATE HOW IMPORTANT INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY ARE TO LORENA.

LORENA IS CONSTANTLY PURSUING QUALITY, CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TO ENHANCE HER PRACTICE THROUGH MANY AVENUES INCLUDING ON-GOING UNIVERSITY STUDIES IN HER FREE TIME – SHE’S CURRENTLY ADDING LIBRARY SCIENCES TO HER TOOLBOX. TO SAY WE’RE AWED BY LORENA IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

EVERYONE WHO WORKS WITH LORENA RESPECTS AND APPRECIATES HER SERIOUSNESS, DEDICATION AND PROFESSIONALISM IN PROVIDING INSPIRING EARLY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS WITH UNEXPECTED MATERIALS – SOMETIMES IT’S AS SIMPLE AND BEAUTIFUL AS A GAGGLE OF BABIES EACH SITTING ON THEIR OWN SHADY PATCH OF GREEN GRASS SPLASHING THEIR CHUBBY LITTLE HANDS IN A TRAY OF COOL WATER WITH A FRESH SPRIG OF SPEARMINT WITH SOOTHING, GENTLE PIANO PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND. LORENA EXTENDS THESE LEARNING EXPERIENCES THROUGH DOCUMENTATION (VIDEOS, PICTURES, AND TEXT) AND SHARING WITH FAMILIES ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE. HER ENGAGING WORDS AND IMAGES EMPOWER PARENTS IN PROVIDING THESE DIY PLAY EXPERIENCES AT HOME IN ADDITION TO SCRAMBLING TO REGISTER FOR LORENA’S NEXT PLAYGROUP!

– NADINE REEVES, CHILDREACH PROGRAM & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

What advice would you give someone considering pursuing a career in Early Childhood Education?

Early Childhood Education is a wonderful opportunity for many different career paths. It is also a great responsibility as you will facilitate children’s learning experiences. So be an observer first. Observation is your best tool as an educator. Through observation, you can learn what the children are learning and what they are interested in. This will help you when planning your provocations, setting up the learning environment, and fostering strong connections.

How has professional learning contributed to your practice?

Professional learning has helped me become a better educator. It has helped me gain a deeper understanding of child development. I have attended a few of the Community of Practice opportunities for Infant Educators. It was an excellent way to share knowledge, ideas, and observations with other infant educators.

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LORENA BRINGS SUCH JOY AND ENTHUSIASM TO HER PROGRAMS. FAMILIES WILL OFTEN ASK US, “IS IT A LORENA DAY?”! LORENA IS A FANTASTIC ASSET AS A COMMUNITY PARTNER BECAUSE OF HER COMMITMENT TO FAMILIES, HER VERSATILITY AND HER IMPECCABLE COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION. SHE ALWAYS COMES PREPARED WITH EXCITING AND ENGAGING ACTIVITIES AND MATERIALS.  LORENA PLANS AND PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES AND STAGES, AND STRIVES TO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH EACH AND EVERY FAMILY.

– STEPHANIE HAMEL, PROGRAM SUPERVISOR, FAMILY CENTRE FOX HOLLOW

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Do you have a favourite quote…

“IT IS A HAPPY TALENT TO KNOW HOW TO PLAY.”

– RALPH WALDO EMERSON

Tell us some things you enjoy doing in your spare time.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family. I often explore hiking trails with my dog Toby, but sometimes I like to stay home and enjoy a good movie too.

If you were an ice cream flavour, what flavour would you be and why?

I would be mint chocolate chip: a refreshing spearmint flavour – because I am willing to try new things and explore new ideas.

Thank you, Lorena, for everything you do for children, families, and other professionals in this community.  We are incredibly proud to know you.

Join us in celebrating Lorena by dropping her a comment below!

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Do you know an outstanding early years professional that deserves to be recognized?

Someone who:

• takes an active leadership role within their community;

• has a demonstrated ability to build strong relationships;

• shows a loving and respectful commitment to children, families, and the ECEC profession;

• exudes professionalism and maintains enthusiasm for their continued commitment to ongoing professional learning.

  Then nominate them to be our next Professional Spotlight!

Email your nominations to info@striveswo.ca

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PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT: TINA CHILTON

Child care and early years professionals are a precious commodity and essential part of happy, healthy, and successful communities. Now, more than ever, we know how important it is to have caring adults supporting young children and families.

We are so proud to be a part of this vibrant community and this Professional Spotlight Series is intended to recognize the many outstanding efforts, innovations, and contributions of our treasured colleagues across the sector.

This month, we are delighted to introduce you to Tina Chilton, a Kitchen Administrator at Milestones Children’s Centre. Tina is known for her warn and friendly demeanor, her yummy meals and snacks, and her commitment to supporting and mentoring other professionals.

Keep reading to learn more about Tina!

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Tell us a bit about yourself…

Hello, my name is Tina Chilton and I am the Kitchen Administrator at Milestones Children’s Centre. I have had the pleasure of working there for the past 15 years.  Nutrition is a professional and personal passion for me. I enjoy cooking at work as well for my family at home. I have been married for 16 years and I have one adult daughter. I enjoy running 5K on my treadmill daily before heading to work. I also enjoy being a dog mom to my 7 month old Great Dane, Olive.

Describe the role of a Kitchen Administrator.

As the Kitchen Administrator, I make the menus for our centre and prepare two daily snacks and lunch for the children. I adhere to a budget and create professional relationships with all of our suppliers. I look after the maintenance and repairs of all the appliances and ensure the kitchen is clean and organized. I support our Food Handler, who helps me with the cooking and cleaning, as well as preparing two snacks for our before and after school programs. I am new to the responsibility of being the direct report for our Food Handler, and I am looking forward to the opportunity and challenge to grow in my career.

What is the best part of your role?

The best part of my role is hearing how well the children have eaten the meals I provide. I put so much thought into ensuring they meet their body’s growing needs. I also love writing nutrition facts on the white board in the hallway for our Educators to support conversations with the children about healthy food. I enjoy being a part of the children learning how to eat for a healthy life.

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TINA CHILTON HAS BEEN A PART OF MILESTONES CHILDREN’S CENTRE SINCE MARCH OF 2006. SINCE THAT TIME, TINA HAS ENHANCED THE POSITION OF KITCHEN ADMINISTRATOR, DEMONSTRATING HOW CRITICAL HER ROLE IS TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR CHILD CARE PROGRAMS.

TINA IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE CHILDREN WITH SNACKS AND MEALS THAT ARE NOT ONLY NUTRITIOUS, BUT ARE ALSO WELL LIKED BY THE CHILDREN. TINA RESEARCHES MENUS THAT PROVIDE VARIETY AND THAT ARE YUMMY FOR THE CHILDREN AND STAFF, TOO. IT IS COMMON TO HAVE FISH DISHES, BEAN AND TOFU RECIPES, CURRY DISHES, A VARIETY OF FRESH VEGETABLES AND FRESH FRUIT, ETC. EACH DAY AND WEEK. TINA IS COMMITTED TO PAINT YOUR PLATE AND CREATIVELY EDUCATES STAFF ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF DIFFERENT FOODS, BY PROVIDING INFORMATION TO SUPPORT OUR WORKPLACE WELLNESS COMMITTEE AND BY SHARING FOOD INFORMATION DAILY. IN AN EFFORT TO HAVE THE YOUNGER CHILDREN PLAY A PART IN WHAT THEY EAT, TINA POSTS PICTURES OF FRUITS OR VEGETABLES AND GIVE THE CHILDREN THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE BY MARKING ON THE WHITE BOARD BESIDE WHICH FRUIT OR VEGETABLE THEY WANT THAT DAY. THIS ALSO INVOLVES THE FAMILIES, AS THEY HELP THE CHILDREN TO CAST THEIR VOTE, PROMOTING A GREAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND ENGAGEMENT.

OUR SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN ALSO BENEFIT FROM TINA’S KNOWLEDGE OF FOOD AND FROM HER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT CHILDREN OF ALL AGES LIKE TO EAT. SNACK TIME IS A HIGHLIGHT AT OUR SCHOOL AGE PROGRAMS.

TINA ALSO ENJOYS BEING A SUPPORTIVE MEMBER OF THE DIETARY COMMUNITY BY NETWORKING WITH KITCHEN STAFF AT OTHER CHILD CARE CENTRES, AND BY CREATING OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY – FROM PUBLIC HEALTH, TO THE VENDORS THAT SHE WORKS WITH.

TINA MAKES IT HER BUSINESS TO ENSURE THAT THE CHILDREN EAT AS WELL AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN. TINA HAS EVOLVED THE POSITION OF KITCHEN ADMINISTRATOR OF MILESTONES CHILDREN’S CENTRE TO ONE OF LEADER AND EDUCATOR AS WELL AS THE CREATOR OF AMAZING MEALS. WE ARE THANKFUL FOR TINA!

– CORA BURNS, RECE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CHRISTIE POPESCU, OPERATIONS MANAGER

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What is your most popular recipe?

My most popular recipe is probably my oatmeal pancakes or maybe my unstuffed cabbage roll casserole… or it could be pasta in tomato sauce with beans… or tacos with sweet potato wedges. It is so hard to tell, we have really great eaters!

What is something you’ve learned recently that you’re excited about?

Something I have learned recently that I am excited about is my new responsibilities in leadership. I can’t wait to inspire a love of cooking and passion for learning about the best nutrition for the children, guiding staff to be their best professional selves.

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“TINA MAKES YUMMY STUFF!” YUMMIER THAN MOMMY MAKES, OR SO I’VE BEEN TOLD!

I ALWAYS HAVE PEACE OF MIND KNOWING THAT OUR 2 BOYS ARE GETTING LOTS OF GOOD, NUTRITIOUS FOOD MADE BY TINA!

WHEN WE WERE HOME AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC WE MISSED TINA’S COOKING – A LOT! WHEN YOU SEE TINA’S MENU AND HEAR ABOUT ALL OF HER DELICIOUS AND NUTRITIOUS MEALS, YOU KNOW THE GREAT PRIDE TINA CLEARLY TAKES IN HER CRAFT AND HOW MUCH SHE CARES ABOUT WHAT SHE DOES. FEEDING TODDLERS IS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS AND TINA HAS MASTERED IT! I ALSO ADMIRE THAT TINA ALWAYS HAS A SMILE ON HER FACE WHENEVER WE SEE HER. I HOPE THAT TINA GETS A LOT OF THANK YOU’S FROM THE MANY LITTLE MOUTHS SHE FEEDS DAILY!

– KATE CASEY, PRESCHOOLER PARENT

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What is something that you’re unlearning?

I am trying to unlearn thinking that I need to have all the answers to all questions on the spot. It is ok to say “I’ll get back to you on that” and take a bit of time to process and reflect. It is ok to not know the answers right away and give yourself time to find the best ones.

How has professional learning contributed to your practice?

Professional learning has contributed to my growing nutrition knowledge and how to provide the best supportive nutritional environments for children to develop into healthy eaters for life. It has also helped me to learn how to be a better leader and advance and grow in my career. I am a knowledge seeker and love to learn new things.

Tell us about a recent professional learning experience that had a positive impact on you.

I recently watched a webinar on communication and realized how important body language can be. I talk with my hands a lot and I was unaware that my sometimes excited hand gestures can really be off-putting or possibly give the wrong impression. I guess this is also something I am trying to unlearn. I feel this was a positive impact for me because you cannot change what you are unaware of.

What inspires you?

The children inspire me every day. I love knowing that I have positively contributed to their lives, even if they do not always eat the vegetables that I serve! I know that they will see the food as familiar and most likely try it because of this. I love seeing them grow and I look forward to their waves and smiles each day.

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WE ARE SO LUCKY THAT TINA ALWAYS BRINGS THE CHILDREN YUMMY AND HEALTHY MEALS. THE CHILDREN LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING TINA EVERYDAY. WHEN TINA DROPS OFF SNACKS, SHE DOESN’T EVEN HAVE TO KNOCK ON OUR CLASSROOM DOOR TO LET US KNOW THAT SHE HAS ARRIVED AS THE CHILDREN WILL EXCITEDLY SAY “TINA IS HERE” AS THEY WAVE AND RUN TO SAY HI TO HER. ONCE TINA LEAVES THEY ARE ALWAYS EXCITED TO SAY “I SAID HI TO TINA.”

THROUGHOUT THE DAY, THE CHILDREN OFTEN ASK WHERE TINA IS. WE LET THEM KNOW SHE’S BUSY MAKING OUR YUMMY MEALS. SO, EVEN THOUGH SHE ISN’T WITH US FOR LONG DURING THE DAY, THE CHILDREN ARE STILL THINKING AND ASKING ABOUT OUR HER.

– STEPHANIE, RECE AND MEGHAN, RECE

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What are things you enjoy doing in your spare time?

In my spare time, after my treadmill runs and walking my Great Dane, I really enjoy watching movies and playing board games with my family. I also like trying new recipes!

If you were an ice cream flavour, what flavour would you be and why?

If I were an ice cream flavour I would be chocolate because I love chocolate. Is there anything better?!

Anything else you would like to add?

I would also love to add that I raised an adventurous eater and I contribute it to never putting pressure on her to eat. When she was young, I would let her pick a healthy food item from the grocery store that we had never tried before. We would take it home and figure out how to prepare it and we both would try it. There was never any pressure, if she didn’t like it, she got to spit it out but if she did, then we found a new food to enjoy.

Remember that you are teaching healthy eating for a lifetime, and not just for today!

Thank you, Tina, for everything you do for children, families, and other professionals in this community.  We are incredibly proud to know you.

Join us in celebrating Tina by dropping her a comment below!

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Do you know an outstanding early years professional that deserves to be recognized?

Someone who:

• takes an active leadership role within their community;

• has a demonstrated ability to build strong relationships;

• shows a loving and respectful commitment to children, families, and the ECEC profession;

• exudes professionalism and maintains enthusiasm for their continued commitment to ongoing professional learning.

  Then nominate them to be our next Professional Spotlight!

Email your nominations to info@striveswo.ca

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PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT: SUE BECHARD

Child care and early years professionals are a precious commodity and essential part of happy, healthy, and successful communities. Now, more than ever, we know how important it is to have caring adults supporting young children and families.

We are so proud to be a part of this vibrant community and this Professional Spotlight Series recognizes the outstanding efforts, innovations, and contributions of our treasured colleagues across the sector.

This month, we are delighted to introduce you to RECE Sue Bechard, a Community Connector at Family Centre Westmount. Sue is cherished by her friends and colleagues for her warm smile, positive attitude, and going above and beyond for the families she works with.

Keep reading to learn more about Sue!

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Tell us a bit about yourself…

My name is Sue Bechard and I graduated from Fanshawe College in 1993 from the Early Childhood Education Diploma Program.  I was awarded the AECEO award of excellence upon my graduation.  Twenty-eight years later, I have never waivered from the career I chose and absolutely love.

I am also a wife and Mom of three children. I have two boys and a girl and yes, my two oldest are now adults!  I worked in childcare for 7 years prior to providing home childcare for 6 years, when my heart told me I needed to be home with my young family.  For the last 14 years, I have found a new passion in family resource and support. This lead to my position as Community Connector within London Children’s Connection at the Family Centre Westmount. I have had the incredible opportunity to learn and grow within the Family Centred Service System enjoying the challenges and opportunities the position provides.

Describe the role of a Community Connector.

It’s about creating genuine connections with people and connecting them with the right service providers. It is also about providing a safe, inclusive environment in which to support families and help them achieve better outcomes. Working collaboratively with other professionals on and off site to ensure the best connections are made is also a big part of my role. Working with a collective Community of Practice (other connectors across the city) is essential to the role as well.

What is the best part of your role?

Every person has a story. Every person walking through the doors of our family centre is deserving of what they need to thrive. The best part of my role is supporting that person as they walk through the process.

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SUE BECHARD HAS WORKED FOR LONDON CHILDREN’S CONNECTION SINCE 2007 AND HAS GROWN ALONGSIDE THE FAMILY CENTRE SERVICE SYSTEM. HER COMPASSION, EMPATHY, STRONG LISTENING SKILLS AND RESOURCEFULNESS HAS MADE HER THE PERFECT FIT FOR OUR LEAD COMMUNITY CONNECTOR AT WESTMOUNT FAMILY CENTRE.

SUE EAGERLY JUMPS INTO NEW OPPORTUNITIES WITH GUSTO TO NOT ONLY SUPPORT HER FELLOW COMMUNITY CONNECTORS BUT ALSO TO ENHANCE HER SKILLS, STAY CURRENT IN HER PRACTICE, AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. HER POSITIVE ATTITUDE, SENSE OF FUN, AND OPENNESS ALLOWS HER TO CONNECT WITH FAMILIES AUTHENTICALLY AND GENUINELY.

FAMILIES THAT COME TO SEE SUE FOR SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE OFTEN KEEP COMING BACK. A FAMILY THAT WAS STRUGGLING WAS SUPPORTED BY SUE FOR OVER A YEAR. SHE HELPED KEEP THEM POSITIVE AND GAVE THEM STRENGTH. WHEN THINGS STARTED TO TURN AROUND FOR THEM, THEY SPECIFICALLY STOPPED IN AT THE CENTRE TO SHOW SUE THE VAN THEY WERE ABLE TO BUY. A WONDERFUL FOLLOW-UP, AS IT’S NOT OFTEN THAT IN OUR WORK A FAMILY’S OUTCOME IS KNOWN. SUE’S DEDICATION TO THIS FAMILY CLEARLY MEANT THE WORLD TO THEM.

– CONNIE DOWELL, COLLEAGUE

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What is something you’ve learned recently that you’re excited about…

Reacquainting myself with a musical instrument. I was very musical growing up with an organ, violin and singing. I have been trying my hands at guitar during the pandemic and have been strumming away the last year. I would love to add it to my repertoire!

What is something you’re unlearning…

You can not pour from an empty cup! I am learning to put myself first, when possible, in order to help others, fill their cup. Personally and professionally, life happens and I am trying to unlearn the habit of just pouring through it or pouring when I am empty. Taking care of myself has become number one (some days!). I am still working on it and remind myself that I can not do it all. I have a go get it kind of personality, and sometimes I have to say no, which is really hard for me to do. I am learning that self-care is not selfish.

Why did you choose a career in Early Childhood Education and Care?

I knew I had a great connection with children from an early age. I accepted a cleaning position after school at local childcare centre when I was in high school.  The staff could see my eagerness to come in early to volunteer before my shift. Ultimately, it felt right and with support from the centre staff, I applied to become an ECE.

What advice would you give someone considering pursuing a career in Early Childhood Education?

There are now so many job opportunities to pursue in the field. If you are open to challenge and thinking outside of the box- the opportunities are endless. I am an example of how you can keep challenging yourself as an educator and still have a passion for the field. I love to mentor students with the same message. You can do just about anything if you put your mind to it.

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WE HAVE BEEN COMING TO WESTMOUNT FAMILY CENTRE FOR OVER 3 YEARS, BEGINNING WITH MY FIRST BABY WHEN THERE WERE NO RESTRICTIONS ON SOCIAL INTERACTIONS AND THEN AGAIN WITH MY SECOND BABY THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC. SUE HAS ALWAYS MADE US FEEL WELCOME AND GREETED US WITH A FRIENDLY SMILE (EVEN BEHIND THE MASK). SUE TAKES THE TIME TO LEARN ABOUT FAMILIES AND GENUINELY CARES ABOUT MAKING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS. I ALWAYS FELT ENCOURAGED TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT PARENTING OR TO JUST TALK ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES OF PARENTING, KNOWING THAT SUE WOULD LISTEN AND ONLY OFFER VALUABLE ADVICE AND RECOMMENDATIONS. SUE HAS MADE SUCH A WONDERFUL AND POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR EXPERIENCES WITH THE FAMILY CENTRE, AND HER SUPPORT HAS BEEN INVALUABLE. THANK YOU SUE, WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE FOR EVERYTHING YOU CONTINUE TO DO!

– ASHLEIGH AND FAMILY

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How has professional learning contributed to your practice?

I would not be where I am today if it was not for professional learning. I have been very lucky as London Children’s Connection has always supported our professional learning. My role as a Community Connector came with many different/additional skills to the role. I have learned about poverty in the city, housing, settlement services, and mental health supports.  I have been on countless field trips to organizations that are working collectively to support families. These have been wonderful hands on experiences for me as an ECE and a Connector. Keeping in touch with Continuous Professional Leaning also has been important with my role and also has been a huge benefit to me as an RECE.

Tell us about a recent professional learning experience that had a positive impact on you.

Mental Health First Aid Training has had a positive impact on me as a Community Connector. It normalized the conversations that, as a connector, I use so many times throughout the year. It is really ok to not be ok. It’s such a positive experience to learn from professionals working in the field about how to help someone in need. It has been one of those professional learning experiences that I have actively put into practice.

What inspires you…

Families inspire me. It is the best day when you know that you made a difference in someone’s life. It could be something very small or something big. At the end of the day, I go to work to make a difference for others. Reflecting back on how I handled a situation, to improve or acknowledge the success or failure is key. It is not always an easy job.

My team also inspires me to do my best. Having a close family centre team that understands and supports the role of the Connector has made me the connector I am today.

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SUE IS A CARING, KNOWLEDGEABLE ECE PROFESSIONAL. SUE OFFERS A FRIENDLY VOICE AND AN OPEN EAR FOR ALL THAT CONNECT WITH HER THROUGH THE WESTMOUNT FAMILY CENTRE. SHE GENUINELY LISTENS TO ALL AND WORKS HARD NETWORKING AND COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO OFFER SUPPORTIVE INFORMATION UNIQUE TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE INDIVIDUAL. SUE USES HER EXCELLENT PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS TO SEARCH OUT THE BEST RESOURCES.

WORKING ALONGSIDE SUE HAS BEEN A JOY FOR ME. I ALWAYS KNEW I COULD TRUST SUE TO RESPOND IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER AND WITH COMPLETE ATTENTION TO A QUESTION OR REQUEST. WHILE I AM NO LONGER WORKING DIRECTLY WITH SUE, I CONTINUE TO PROUDLY RECOMMEND HER TO ANYONE I CONNECT WITH THAT MAY BENEFIT FROM INFORMATION ON LOCAL SERVICES AND RESOURCES. EVEN THOUGH WE ARE NOT IN THE SAME OFFICE, I KNOW SHE IS ONLY A PHONE CALL AWAY!

– JAN GAUDET, COLLEAGUE

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Tell us some things you enjoy doing in your spare time.

I love to be outside in nature. I love to find new trails to walk with our family dog. As a family, we love to fish on our boat and take road trips to different fishing spots. I also love crafting anything and everything!

Anything else you would like to add?

If anything, I would like everyone to realize, you don’t need to know everything.  I learn something new each day. Listen, observe, reflect and grow. It is what I do best!

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Thank you, Sue, for everything you do for children, families, and other professionals in this community.  We are incredibly proud to know you.

Join us in celebrating Sue by dropping her a comment below!

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Do you know an outstanding early years professional that deserves to be recognized?

Someone who:

• takes an active leadership role within their community;

• has a demonstrated ability to build strong relationships;

• shows a loving and respectful commitment to children, families, and the ECEC profession;

• exudes professionalism and maintains enthusiasm for their continued commitment to ongoing professional learning.

  Then nominate them to be our next Professional Spotlight!

Email your nominations to info@striveswo.ca

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CANADIAN FEDERAL ELECTION GUIDE 2021

The 2021 Federal Election is officially underway and Child Care is finally being recognized as a ballot box issue! This is an opportunity to raise our collective voices and make accessible, affordable Child Care, and fair compensation and decent work for Child Care Professionals a reality!

As Early Learning Professionals, we know the impact of the conditions we create in our playrooms on the development and well-being of the children and families we support. Yet, the political workings and contexts that ultimately drive and dictate those conditions are not always clear or straight forward. This can lead to reluctance to see ourselves as active, valued participants in the political systems that govern our sector. This can’t continue! We are passionate, dedicated professionals who can affect positive change for Child Care in Canada! It’s time to make a difference at the federal level!

Parents entrust their children with early educators at the most critical time in their development and yet society leaves early educators with unmanageable workloads and unlivable wages

— National Head Start Association

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We desperately need a government committed to substantive change and investment in Early Childhood Education and Care.

It is time for Educators to claim their space as experts in their professional practice. No one understands the challenges of our current childcare system better than those who live it every day!

You belong in this process!

Do not wait for someone to come and speak for you. It’s you who can change the world.

— Malala Yousafzai

But we get it, politics and election hoopla can be nothing short of overwhelming. So consider this your “Everything I Need to Know Before I Vote” guide; a resource to hopefully help you make a sound and informed decision.

First things first:

Check your eligibility to vote/registration status.

You can confirm your registration and/or update your information HERE.

You should receive a voter information card in the mail by September 10th.

Know where YOU stand. Reflect on what is important to you as a professional and as a citizen. Then, find out where the candidates stand. Ultimately, your vote should go to a candidate/party that aligns with your values and priorities.

Below are links to each to party’s website & platform, this is where you can find their position on key issues:

• Liberal Party

• Green Party

• Conservative Party

• NDP

• People’s Party of Canada

Here are the available official platforms for each party:

• Liberal Party Platform (Their position on childcare can be found here.)

• Green Party Platform (Their position on childcare is outlined on p.62)

• Conservative Party Platform (their position on childcare is outlined on p.24)

• NDP Platform (Their position on childcare is outlined on p.29)

• People’s Party of Canada (Does not include childcare in their platform)

Learn more about the candidates in your local riding HERE.

Unsure of your riding? No problem, use this tool!

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As outlined in the College of Early Childhood Educators’ Standards of Practice part of our ethical obligation as Educators is an explicit commitment to “advocate in the interest of children, families, early childhood educators and the early years sector” (College of Early Childhood Educators, Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, p. 15). Informed voting is a distinctive and impactful form of advocacy.

And, finally (and arguably most importantly), VOTE!!!

The election is Monday, September 20th. Polls are open from 9:30 am to 9:30 pm.

Your polling station will be indicated on your aforementioned voter information card, which you will receive by mail. Polling station addresses have not yet been made available on the Elections Canada website.

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“By law, everyone who is eligible to vote must have three consecutive hours to cast their vote on election day. If your hours of work do not allow for three consecutive hours to vote, your employer must give you time off.

For example, if you live in a riding where voting hours are 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and you usually work from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., your hours of work will not allow three consecutive hours for voting. To give you three consecutive hours to vote, your employer could allow you to arrive late (at 12:30 p.m.), let you leave early (at 6:30 p.m.), or give you three hours off at some point during the work day.

Your employer has the right to decide when the time off will be given” (Elections Canada, 2019).

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Unable to vote in person on the 20st? There are several other means by which you can cast your vote, such as advanced polls, special ballot processes or by mail.

Learn more about all the ways you can vote HERE.

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Given some of the decisions that have been made at the provincial level, effectively backing away from the funding and support of child care services, federal leadership that is committed to making our child care system better is vitally important.

Voting is more than just your democratic right, it is a RESPONSIBILITY and a PRIVILEGE. Exercise it! It demonstrates commitment to ourselves, to our profession and to each other.

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.

– Dr. Seuss

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Make sure you’re connected and following @striveswo on social media as we will be updating election news as it rolls in!

AN EDUCATOR’S PATH TO GRATITUDE

I have been a Registered Early Childhood Educator for 7 years.

I left the field after 2.

My name is Michaela Jardine, and this is part of my story.

We tend to believe and make assumptions about a person’s story and how they got to where they did in their life and career. I know I am guilty of assuming that people just went to College or University and landed a job they loved. But that isn’t the case, not always. Yet, we don’t tend to hear about the struggles, challenges, and hardships that people face on their path in life. This seems particularly true in the field of Early Childhood Education and Care.

I have become a huge advocate for mental health and well-being since leaving the ECEC field in 2016. Not many know my story, why I left, what brought me back, and what has led me here.

After the last year and a half of what the child care field has been going through with the pandemic, I feel even more drawn to sharing this part of my story. I am hoping that by sharing my journey it will resonate with you and remind you that you are a priority too.

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My Journey

This hasn’t always been easy to share or talk about but I have come to realize that it is a part of who I am.

I graduated and became a Registered Early Childhood Educator in 2014 and I am beyond grateful that I received a job offer right away. In my first two years working in the field I had the opportunity to work with school age children, preschoolers, toddlers and even gained some knowledge and experiences working on tasks alongside my Director. She became a role model for me and I looked up to her, her accomplishments, and her drive for the field.

An experience in those first two years that I am proud of was working with my Director and another co-worker in creating the centre’s first toddler room. Being fresh out of College, this was not an opportunity I thought I would get to be a part of, let alone have a say in.

I worked at that same centre until I left the field in October of 2016.

I worked at that same centre until I left the field in October of 2016.

It wasn’t easy leaving the field or the children, families and coworkers that I had built relationships with over the years but it was hard to ignore the burnout I was feeling. They were my family and deciding to leave was one of the hardest decisions I had to make. I had recently moved an hour away and at the time I thought I could do the drive but the harsh reality quickly set in when I found myself spending 2.5 hours on the road each day while not making enough money to truly support myself and family. There were other problems that has arisen in my home life that only piled onto the growing burnout I was feeling. I was not myself. I was negative, tired, stressed, and didn’t want to do much outside of work besides be at home.

“IT WASN’T EASY LEAVING THE FIELD OR THE CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND COWORKERS THAT I HAD BUILT RELATIONSHIPS WITH OVER THE YEARS BUT IT WAS HARD TO IGNORE THE BURNOUT I WAS FEELING.”

I tried to brush off the feelings for months.  I tried to tell myself that I shouldn’t be feeling burnt out, I had only just started my career, I had only been in the field for 2 years.  But the truth is, you can experience burnout during any point of your career, especially in the early years. I didn’t have a proper routine, nor did I make myself and my mental health a priority. I was trying so hard to be a great RECE and make sure my career was stable, that I had forgotten about looking after myself and making sure I was stable and cared for too.

When I left, I started working in a factory closer to the town I was living in. It paid double what I was making as an ECE, a job I had gone to College for two years to get. I was frustrated that the career I had dreamed of having one day, couldn’t support me or my family, which at the time made me consider never going back.

Switching jobs and working at the factory allowed me to start focusing on myself again, which I had forgotten to do. I started going to the gym, going for runs, seeing family and friends – I started to thoroughly enjoy life again without feeling burnt out.

Now don’t misunderstand, while working at the factory had its perks, it wasn’t a rewarding job. It allowed me to get ahead financially, get back on track for my physical and mental wellbeing, but I always felt like a piece was missing.

I missed working with children, seeing the accomplishments and milestones they reached, I missed interacting with families and colleagues.

While I knew I wanted to go back into the early years field, I also knew I had to make some changes. I had to make my mental health a priority.

So I started a gratitude practice in the Spring of 2017 and intentionally focused on the good things in my life. Berkeley researcher Dr. Christine Carter, who has been studying and dedicating her career to the ‘science of happiness,’ has explained that counting our blessings is central to not only our physical health, but mental health as well.

My Gratitude Practice

I will say that I did have other supports and resources to help me during this time but a practice that I started and continue to practice today is gratitude. Gratitude is derived from the Latin word gratia, depending on the context it can mean grace, graciousness, or gratefulness and allows people to acknowledge the goodness in their lives.

I start and end my day with The Five-Minute Journal and have been using it now for 4 years. It is a simple way to create a morning and nighttime routine that I looked forward to each day. I also really enjoy that it only takes 5 minutes in the morning and night.  I love the Five-Minute Journal because it’s easy to follow and straightforward. The morning routine focuses on gratitude, what would make today great, and daily affirmations. Whereas the nighttime component focuses on reflection, amazing things that happened, what would have made it better and I will sometimes include what I am looking forward to tomorrow.  After about a month of practicing gratitude I noticed I was beginning to feel grateful for more and more things throughout the day that I wasn’t even thinking about before. I noticed my inner voice saying more and more loudly, “I’m grateful for…”

Practicing gratitude regularly allowed me to focus on myself, my goals, and my overall well-being.  Something I had previously been neglecting. I started to feel happy and joyful again. I even started putting my foot back into the child care field, searching for potential jobs. Although on a neurological level, researchers are just beginning to understand gratitude, it has been shown that grateful people are healthier, happier, more resilient, have a higher sense of self-worth and are, in general, more satisfied with their lives.

Gratitude is a way to appreciate what we already have, instead of searching for the next thing to make us ‘happy’. Walsh (2013) found that when people practice gratitude they are more likely to, enjoy higher flows of dopamine (happy hormone), feel brighter and more alert, and have greater activity in their hypothalamus which influences stress and metabolism levels.

“ALTHOUGH ON A NEUROLOGICAL LEVEL, RESEARCHERS ARE JUST BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND GRATITUDE, IT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT GRATEFUL PEOPLE ARE HEALTHIER, HAPPIER, MORE RESILIENT, HAVE A HIGHER SENSE OF SELF-WORTH AND ARE, IN GENERAL, MORE SATISFIED WITH THEIR LIVES.”

Gratitude is a mental state that grows stronger with each use and practice and helps people refocus on what they have instead of what they lack. It wasn’t easy getting used to practicing gratitude or being consistent with my morning and night time routine but I knew it needed to be a priority. Working at the factory wasn’t fulfilling at all, I missed the rewarding career I went to school for. Making myself a priority wasn’t an option anymore, it was essential.

It is so easy to put yourself on the back burner and keep giving when your cup is empty, but eventually you burnout and have nothing left to give. As professionals in an already demanding field it is imperative that you are taking time for yourselves each day. Implementing a practice around gratitude into my day, made sure I was dedicating a part of the day to me, my wellbeing, and refilling MY cup.

“IT IS SO EASY TO PUT YOURSELF ON THE BACK BURNER AND KEEP GIVING WHEN YOUR CUP IS EMPTY, BUT EVENTUALLY YOU BURNOUT AND HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO GIVE. AS PROFESSIONALS IN AN ALREADY DEMANDING FIELD IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU ARE TAKING TIME FOR YOURSELF EACH DAY.”

In the Fall of 2017 I made my way back to the early years field. I have learned to focus on the wellbeing of the children in my care AND on MY overall wellbeing as well.

Whether you practice gratitude or have another way of refilling your cup, I would love to hear how you practice self care! And if you don’t currently prioritize a part of your day for yourself, I challenge you to start. There are so many ways to practice self-care, gratitude is just the one that works best for me.

If there is anything the last year has been reinforced for me, it would be that when we are not at our best, we can’t give our best.

Make yourself a priority, you are worth it .

Written by Michaela Jardine

How do you prioritize yourself and practice self-care? Share your story in the comments below and join us in congratulating Michaela on the successful completion of her internship!

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References

Harvard Health. (2011, November 22). Giving thanks can make you happier. Harvard Health Publishing: Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier.

Walsh, E. (2013, November 18). The Science of Gratitude in Kids. Spark & Stitch Institute. https://sparkandstitchinstitute.com/science-of-gratitude-kids/.

Young, K. (2020, October 15). The science of gratitude – how it changes people, relationships (and Brains!) and how to make it work for you. Hey Sigmund. https://www.heysigmund.com/the-science-of-gratitude/.

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Michaela Jardine is Strive’s Project Intern from the Honours Bachelor of Early Childhood Leadership program at Fanshawe College. Michaela was born and raised in Tillsonburg, Ontario and is the youngest of 3 siblings.  Outside of school, you will likely find Michaela at the gym, taking on a home renovation project, or out adventuring with her adorable pup, Donny.  After graduation next year, Michaela has her sights set on Teacher’s College and hopes to stay connected to local ECEC advocacy work as well.

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PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT: JOANNE CHESTERFIELD

Child care and early years professionals are a precious commodity and essential part of happy, healthy, and successful communities. Now, more than ever, we know how important it is to have caring adults supporting young children and families.  The child care community has risen to every challenge over the past 16 months with grace, determination and professionalism.  We are so proud to be a part of this vibrant community and want to continue to recognize the outstanding efforts, innovations, and contributions of our treasured colleagues across the sector.

We are therefore incredibly excited to introduce our new Professional Spotlight series!

These profiles will feature outstanding early years professionals for their leadership,  exemplary practices, and their commitment to giving children the very best possible start in life.

For our very first Professional Spotlight, we are thrilled to introduce you to RECE, Joanne Chesterfield!  Joanne is currently a Preschool Educator at Kids Ko. Childcare Centre in Komoka and an active Strive member.  Joanne is joyful and enthusiastic in her approach to her life and her work.  She inspires the best in those around her and leads with curiosity.

Keep reading to learn more about Joanne!

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Tell us a bit about yourself…

Hey! I’m so happy to be here. My name is Joanne and I grew up in Stratford, Ontario. I came to London after graduating high school and attended Fanshawe College. I studied Early Childhood Education and Autism and Behavioural Science. I have been working as a RECE in the field for 9 years. I am married and have 2 children of my own. Lily is 5 in September and Maisie will be 2 in June. I currently am a RECE at Kids Ko.Childcare Centre in Komoka in the Preschool Classroom. 

What does being an Early Childhood Educator mean to you?

Being an Early Childhood Educator means a lot to me. I show up daily and give 100%. I start each day with a positive attitude and put the children in my care first. I plan activities according to the children’s needs and interests. As an ECE this job is so rewarding for me. When you see the children accomplish a task and are so excited about accomplishing it, it makes you feel fulfilled and successful. I love spending my days with the children and conversing with families.

What is something you’ve learned recently that you’re excited about…

I have always known that team collaboration was important to me and a key to success when working with others. Recently at work I have created a board for the team members. It says “Take what you need” and has sticky notes with different words on it. For example strength, forgiveness, peace, joy, kindness, a friend etc. The goal is to get all the staff involved.

What is something you’re unlearning…

Something that I am unlearning is letting go and allowing others to take the lead. I always felt like I needed to be the one to do things for them to get done but I am learning that it’s okay for others to help. I can’t do everything myself and that is also okay. It’s something I am still working on.

What is the biggest misconception about Early Childhood Education?

The biggest misconception that I would love to see debunked is that as an ECE people think that all we do is PLAY all day. If I listed all the tasks that we have accomplish in a day and threw in the emotions of the children, diaper changes, cleaning, serving snacks/lunch, fixing boo boos, rubbing backs, planning and implementing activities etc. you would find that none of the Educators in the room only got to play at all! We pay a professional fee every year but are not treated like professionals. I wish that the world could see us for what we really are and how hard we work on a daily basis.

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JOANNE JOINED US AT KIDS KO. IN JANUARY AND INSTANTLY MADE AN IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY. JOANNE GOT INTO RELATIONSHIP SO QUICKLY WITH HER PEERS, THE CHILDREN IN ALL THE ROOMS AS WELL AS THE PARENTS. HER IMPACT IS SEEN AND HEARD THROUGH THE LEARNING EXPERIENCES SHE CREATES EVERY DAY AS WELL AS THE JOY YOU HEAR COMING OUT OF THE PLAYROOM.

JOANNE’S COMMITMENT TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS INSPIRING; SHE IS ALWAYS LEARNING AND ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO JOIN IN ON THE EXPERIENCES. EVEN WHEN HER PEERS DO NOT ATTEND THE CLASSES, SHE IS BACK AT THE CENTRE REPORTING ON WHAT SHE LEARNED… OR LEADING EXPERIENCES THAT CREATE OTHERS TO WANT TO LEAD – TALK ABOUT IMPACT!!

JOANNE GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR OUR LOCAL LONDON MIDDLESEX COMMUNITY AND BRINGS THE CHILDREN IN TO THE LEARNING AND EXPERIENCES AS WELL. THIS INCLUDES – THANKING OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES WITH CARDS, THANKING THE MAIL CARRIERS AND NURSES.

JOANNE IS A NATURAL LEADER, WHO CARES DEEPLY ABOUT HER TEAM MEMBERS AND THE CHILDREN IN OUR CENTRE. WE FEEL SO FORTUNATE SHE CHOSE KIDSKO TO CONTINUE IN HER CAREER AS AN RECE!!

– CRISTIN HILDENBRAND, OWNER AND DIRECTOR OF KIDS KO.CHILDCARE CENTRE

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Why did you choose a career in Early Childhood Education and Care?

I chose a career in Early Childhood Education because I always enjoyed taking care of my younger cousins. I also really enjoyed my high school co-op experience in Kindergarten classrooms. I knew that I wanted to teach in some way and felt that Early Childhood Education would be a great starting point in that goal.

What advice would you give someone considering pursuing a career in Early Childhood Education?

The advice that I would give someone thinking about choosing a career in this field would be to find a positive mentor/leader in the field that could guide and support you on your learning journey. Get clear on your goals and what/where you want to have an impact in this field. This will help guide your decisions from learning experiences to places to work. Don’t forget to do your research on where you would like to work. Ask yourself, what are their values as a centre? What is the team like? Choosing the right place to work could really make or break you as an Early Childhood Educator. If you don’t align with the centre values or team dynamic, that is totally okay. You will find one that fits into just perfectly. I promise. Lastly, don’t be afraid to take on all the hands-on learning experiences you can and HAVE FUN!

Do you have a favourite quote?

“A BRAVE LEADER IS SOMEONE WHO SAYS I SEE YOU. I HEAR YOU. I DON’T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT I’M GOING TO KEEP LISTENING AND ASKING QUESTIONS.”

– BRENE BROWN

How has professional learning contributed to your practice?

Professional learning has contributed to my practice by keeping things fresh. It has allowed me to connect with other Educators in the field and get new ideas or think in a way that I haven’t thought about before. I love attending the sessions that Strive facilitates for Educators. They don’t just focus on the classroom and teaching but also on ourselves. My goal as an Educator is to attend one or two learning experiences a month and I thoroughly enjoy them.

Tell us about a recent professional learning experience that had a positive impact on you.

This is my favourite question! I recently attended a workshop hosted by Strive, with guest speaker Anisha Angella. It was called The Leader in You. This learning experience was beyond amazing! I left feeling empowered and ready to be the best me everyday. Anisha had us create our own Mantra and encouraged us to frame it in our place of work.

So I wrote and framed my own Mantra! I highly recommend it for everyone to try. I read it multiple times a day and it reminds me that I am a Leader. Since then, I have followed Anisha on social media for ongoing inspiration and even attended another learning experience that she provided through Hi Mama.

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JOANNE HAS BEEN A GREAT ROLE MODEL FOR COLE. HE HAS CHANGED QUITE A BIT – FOR THE BETTER – SINCE JOANNE STARTED WITH KIDSKO. HE STILL HAS HIS MOMENTS, BUT HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS SINCE JOANNE HAS BEEN WITH THE CENTRE. WHEN COLE IS AT HOME HE CONSISTENTLY REFERENCES WHAT JOANNE SAYS AND DOES. SHE MAY NOT KNOW IT, BUT SHE’S OFTEN THE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION AT THE DINNER TABLE! HE REALLY LOOKS UP TO HER. JOANNE IS DEFINITELY A POSITIVE CONSTANT IN OUR CHILD’S LIFE. WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE JOANNE AT KIDSKO AND GLAD COLE GETS TO SPEND TIME WITH HER DURING THE DAY.

– KIDSKO FAMILY

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Tell us some things you like to do in your spare time?

In my spare time I enjoy spending as much time with my family as possible. We love going to the park, cottage, going for walks and new adventures. I also enjoy reading and learning new things.

If you were an ice cream flavour, what would you be?

If I was an ice cream flavour, I would choose chocolate with peanut butter cups because I’m sweet and full of surprises!

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Thank you, Joanne, for all that do and for being a treasured member of the Strive community. We are incredibly proud to know you.

You can connect further with Joanne through her Instagram account, @joannetherece where she shares the inquiries and learning experiences she is engaging in with her preschoolers. Follow along!

And join us in celebrating Joanne by dropping her a comment below!

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Do you know an outstanding early years professional that deserves to be recognized?

Someone who:

• takes an active leadership role within their community;

• has a demonstrated ability to build strong relationships;

• shows a loving and respectful commitment to children, families, and the ECEC profession;

• exudes professionalism and maintains enthusiasm for their continued commitment to ongoing professional learning.

  Then nominate them to be our next Professional Spotlight!

Email your nominations to info@striveswo.ca

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PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IN A VIRTUAL WORLD

The Voice of a Facilitator

As we enter into the 15th month of what most of us could not have imagined, we find ourselves grappling with how to continue providing engaging professional learning.

In March 2020 we started down a road of what we thought were temporary measures of meetings and learning on ZOOM. As the weeks turned into months, weariness started to occur. Zoom fatigue became a real thing.

Now, we are into our 2nd pandemic year and ZOOM may very well be the new reality for many of us in how we engage in teaching and learning.

This realization has brought to the forefront questions such as, what does engagement look like on a virtual platform? How do we make our own learning meaningful? Is the camera off or on? Can we be engaged without the camera? Should having the camera on or off be mandated? 

As we have discovered, there is no easy answer.

In my role as a Professor and lifelong learner, I have turned to learning new strategies for engaging those without a camera on.

Virtual platforms have brought many considerations forward that in 2019 we would never have fathomed. The number one factor being privacy issues and etiquette when a camera is on.

In the early days of the pandemic, platforms struggled and internet capacities often determined how many cameras could be on.  Where you are when you turn your camera on is also important for both the learner and the facilitator. Zoom backgrounds and other digital features have been developed so participants can protect their privacy when and if needed. Photos can be added to the screen when cameras are off.

Having considered all this, it still remains a vastly different experience as a presenter who previously relied on reading the room, the faces of the learners, non-verbal communication, and other visual cues to gauge the engagement of the group. 

I am leaning into this new reality and rethinking my perspective.  

Insights from Katie Novak in her article,  To Turn the Camera On or Off, have been particularly helpful.

“I think it really comes down to firm goals and flexible means. The goal is not that we see people but rather the goal is that people are actively engaged in learning, both professional and educational” (Novak, 2020).

What we do know for certain though, in the words of Glennon Doyle, is that “we can do hard things!”

The Voice of a Learner

When arriving at a virtual learning session as a learner, I have found my comfort level with my own camera being on or off, as well as how I may feel about or interpret the camera status of my peers, has been dependent on the context of the session.

During a Professional Learning opportunity largely centred around a facilitator lecturing, for example, personally, whether I can see the videos of my fellow ZOOM attendees or not, has no consequence for me.

This feeling changes rather drastically, however, once the context changes to a session more reliant on discussion and interaction. In the silence after a question is posed by the facilitator, I find myself wondering if others are actually attending the session, or if perhaps they have left. If I find myself being the only attendee with my camera on (and this circumstance has arisen) I feel a heavy sense of responsibility to be the one who answers the question, to be the one who fills the silence.

I attended a virtual learning opportunity not too long ago where I was the only one with their camera on in my assigned breakout room. I tried to start a conversation with the other attendees but didn’t get any response. Faced with black squares and silence, I turned off my camera and waited for it to end. I felt embarrassed and sorry for myself.

I think I had expectations of my fellow participants to make the session engaging and meaningful, and I felt resentful that I wasn’t getting what I needed from them.

Reflecting on these experiences, I wonder if it is really so different from being face to face at an event? I have been to conferences where the people sitting at my table have been reluctant to engage, yet somehow, it didn’t evoke the same intensity of feeling for me as the empty squares on ZOOM seem to. Why?

In both scenarios, it isn’t the responsibility of my peers to ensure I get the most from my professional learning, it is mine. It isn’t up to me to decide the validity of what other people’s engagement looks like, it is up to me to be a reflective professional and ensure I am learning, adapting, and evolving my practice based on my own learning journey and goals.

Maybe the black screens on ZOOM are there to remind me to give my colleagues and peers the space and autonomy over their own learning journeys that they are entitled to and deserve.

Parting Thoughts

It is hard to believe that 15 months after shifting all of our professional learning offerings, we would still find ourselves here, living and learning in this way. The pandemic has disrupted our ways of being, working and connecting and altered Strive operations dramatically.

At a recent community meeting, we were discussing the challenges of virtual learning, pandemic fatigue, and the whole cameras on or off debate. We were marveling at, regardless of the status of the cameras, how absolutely blown away we have been by the ongoing commitment to professional learning demonstrated by the child care community.

Despite it all, the stress, the anxiety, the enhanced screening and cleaning protocols, the disrupted connections with families, coworkers and the community, and the general malaise of living through a global pandemic, Early Childhood Educators and early years professionals have shown nothing but resilience and dedication to their practice. We know you are tired. We know it has been hard.

And yet, there you are.

Logging on after a long day to learn something new, to connect with other professionals, and to continue working toward your goals.

A colleague shared with us that in speaking with her Educators, they described that in a time when there has been so much loss, when so much has been out of our control, their professional learning journeys have been something that they alone have autonomy over. It is something they CAN control. And the ownership and empowerment that derives from that has been very meaningful. We don’t know if that resonates with any of you but for us, it was profound.

When planning and hosting professional learning opportunities it can be easy to get caught up in our own expectations of how we think things “should” go or “should” look. This dialogue about virtual engagement has had us revisit and reflect on our why. There is no playbook for how to navigate professional learning in a virtual world. We are all just doing our best. And even if we can’t “see” you, we do see you, and that is what counts.

Katie Novak perhaps describes it best when she says; “since many people are learning in their own environments, I think it’s important that we share that we do encourage video, and we find great value in seeing faces, but understand there may be barriers to that” (2020).

We are proud to be a part of this community, we are grateful for your participation, and we thank you for all the important work you do.

We look forward to continuing to support you virtually, and, hopefully, some time, not too long from now, in-person again!

Written by Sheryl Third, RECE, MA., and Amanda Seabrook, RECE, Hons. BA. With and afterword from the Strive Team.

What has your experience with virtual professional learning been? Share with us in the comments below!

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Sheryl Third, is an RECE and fulltime faculty member at Fanshawe College in the Early Childhood Education Program. Sheryl has a passion for teaching and learning and is active in her community as a member of the Strive Advisory Committee and Professional Learning Committee. Sheryl has a Masters in Educational Studies. Her research interest is in mentoring and reflective practice as tools for professional learning. Most importantly however, Sheryl is a mother of three and a proud Nana to two beautiful granddaughters.

Amanda Seabrook is Strive’s Project Coordinator and a Registered Early Childhood Educator. Amanda is bilingual and has lived in London all her life. In her spare time Amanda loves birding, being out in Nature, reading, knitting, and cross-stitch.

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ENGAGMENT THROUGHT PARALLEL WORK: Once Upon a Book Club

An Executive Director with a Plan

Once upon a time, there was an Executive Director, Barbara Jackson, who hatched a plan to help grow the skills of educators. 

After many years of working as the Executive Director of a stand-alone child care centre, I realized the immense pressure this role places on individuals working in this position. Many Executive Directors are Educators who have shifted their practice from working in a classroom to taking on administrative tasks. Over the years however, I learned that some Executive Directors of licensed child care organizations were not Educators and instead had a background in business, finances, human resources, marketing, or communications. Additionally, I learned that Executive Directors of large organizations employed individuals with expertise in specific areas necessary for successfully operating a licensed child care organization.

I began to ponder, what would it look like for our organization if we were able to rethink our organizational structure and create one that exemplified shared leadership and democratic practice?

Community conversations had inspired me to think about succession planning, so it was my hope to create a robust succession plan while providing opportunities for learning and growth.

Capacity building funding applications shared with the child care community by our municipality, presented an opportunity for our organization to “rethink our practice”. Our Program Supervisor had participated in the Pedagogist training with the Provincial Centre of Excellence. Our Centre embedded this pedagogical practice with our Educators and we sought to engage another child care centres to learn together between our sites. This pedagogical project would involve the Program Supervisor and Executive Director working alongside Educators in another organization to research together with children, families, and communities.

The twofold benefits of this plan became evident as we realized:

1. The opportunity for our Educators to learn administrative tasks to foster the growth of a shared leadership model, and;

2. In researching together with Educators from another organization, we would not only engage in pedagogical growth within the child care community, but would also work towards succession planning by fostering a larger knowledge base within our Centre.

We secured funding for this pedagogical project from the City of London. Within the Centre we launched an application process to recruit for two new Team Leader positions who would begin to learn the daily operations of a licensed child care centre. The Team Leaders quickly became familiar with the many tasks involved in the day to day operations of a licensed child care facility including the complexities of our work with children, families, and the community.

The second phase of our Pedagogical Project involved partnering with another child care centre. It was our hope that our sites would in unison and engage in learning with each other and with the children. The work from this interagency engagement would be shared with our families, our communities, and our colleagues in the wider child care community.

Yet, as we prepared to enter this next exciting phase of the project, the world was suddenly faced with an invisible enemy, the invasion of the Covid-19 virus.

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Turn the Page to the Pandemic

Quickly our entire child care community was turned upside down through the mandated closures of all licensed child care centres in Ontario. Licensed child care agencies were forced to make many difficult decisions during this closure period in 2020. I remember hours of intense meetings with our volunteer Board of Directors, who were busy trying to establish their own family plans to offset the temporary loss of child care.

Driven by our collaborative mission, and a shift to on-line practices, our organization was able to retain our permanent employees. From a home office, I moved payroll to an online system, managed communication with staff, families, and the Board, and revised budget after budget.

Additionally, I sought an approach to keep our staff engaged during a pandemic.

Little did we know how this shift in practice was going to lead to an intense, but rewarding, period of growth for our Centre.

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Did you say, “Book Club”?

Both Wendy and Barbara joined the Parkwood Book Club with Nicole and the Program Team. They were co-learners in the discussion of the selected book, Pedagogical Documentation in Early Childhood by Susan Stacey.

Selected for its Canadian content, its easy to read and implement format, enabled the club to choose the next chapter based on the key elements emerging from each discussion. More time was spent in some chapters, while in others the discussion grew into an exploration of the implementation of the ideas in practice at the Centre.

What emerged was a hopscotch through the chapters as opposed to reading the book in order. This approach was an important step to developing a deeper, more personal understanding of pedagogical documentation and how it could unfold at Parkwood.

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Lessons Learned

Both the Program Team and the Pedagogical Teams engaged in learning through parallel work during the pandemic. The teams collaborated frequently to share experiences, to develop ideas, and to dream of ways to continue to grow the pedagogical practice of the Educators in Parkwood Children’s Centre.

The Program Team continues to engage with Educators both inhouse and in the community to think about next steps for networking, communities of practice, and to support one another through these challenging times. Working in stand-alone centres can be isolating, so creating spaces for connection during the pandemic was more essential than it was even before Covid.

The larger Pedagogical Team continues to meet and find ways to push one another’s thinking. Further, they are engaged in research to showcase the learning that is taking place among children, educators, families, and communities.

As an organization, we feel so much more aligned and draw strength from our new shared leadership.

The Program Team, Danielle Gebeyehu, Michele Andersen, and Susan Ward, shared their perspectives and experiences on this journey at Strive’s Educator Stories session on March 11, 2021.

AS WE COME TO THE END OF THE STORY OF PARKWOOD’S BOOK CLUB,

The doctoral student and the Board Member were delighted at the success of the research project.

The Pedagogical Team and the Educators were inspired by the deep learning that had taken place through the Book Club, and the new ideas that were shared. 

The Executive Director was thrilled with the opportunity that the Book Club had presented for engagement and connection both inside the Centre, and outwardly to other stand-alone child care centres during the Pandemic. 

And behind their masks, they smiled.

Written by Barbara Jackson, RECE, MPEd, Parkwood Children’s Centre, Executive Director, and Wendy Crocker, OCT, PhD, Parkwood Children’s Centre, Board Member.

Has the pandemic inspired change or reflection in your own practice or organization?  Comment below!

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Barbara Jackson is the Executive Director of Parkwood Children’s Centre. She was born and raised in London, Ontario but also had the opportunity to work and learn with children in Alberta and Japan. Her background in cultural anthropology inspired Barb to travel over the years, finally settling in London 15 years ago. Barb holds a Master of Professional Education degree with a focus on Early Childhood Education. She plans on continuing her learning journey but is currently enjoying her time growing pedagogical practice at Parkwood Children’s Centre and working as a part-time instructor at Fanshawe College in the Early Childhood Leadership program.

Wendy Crocker, PhD is a Board Member at Parkwood Children’s Centre. An educator for 30 years in London areas schools, she now teaches in the doctoral program at the School of Graduate Education, Northeastern University, Boston, MA.  When she’s not on Zoom with her students, Wendy loves watching movies. She has been planning her garden with the hope that Spring is on the way!

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Do you have an inspiring impact story that you’d like to share? We’d love to feature it on a future blog post! 

Contact meaghan@striveswo.ca.

THE LASTING IMPACT OF MENTORSHIP

WE OFTEN FORGET HOW CONNECTED OUR LOCAL EARLY YEARS COMMUNITY REALLY IS!

Early Childhood Educators are incredibly hard working and resilient people and our work has indisputable impact. We typically think about this impact in the role we play in the lives of the children and families we care for. However, we are overlooking an equally important means of influence that we have, that with our colleagues, peers and fellow Educators. Our profession is one that relies on relationships and connection, and mentorship is a big part of that, particularly when it comes to those about to enter or who are new to the field.

Every year, RECEs across our community welcome students into their programs and playrooms to learn, observe, and grow together. We do this in addition to our already strenuous workloads because we believe wholeheartedly in this profession, in one another other, and in the power of continuous learning.

For many of us, the mentors we meet during our placements as students, are the first real professional connections that we make. They guide us, mould us and can help to set the tone and direction of our budding careers.

But what happens after the placement is over? After we cross that stage at graduation? Sadly, we often fall out of touch and don’t always get the opportunity to say, thank you.

Recently, we were fortunate enough to witness an incredible reconnection unfold between an Educator and her former mentor at our Community of Practice: Infant Educators.

This particular Community of Practice invites those who work in and/or support infant programs to come together and collaboratively reflect on the unique joys and the challenges that come with caring for our youngest children. In attendance at January’s gathering were Heather Dunton, an RECE at Jean Vanier Children’s Centre (London Children’s Connection), and Claudette Raymond, an RECE at Whitehills Child Care Association.

When Heather was an student, completing her Early Childhood Education diploma program, she had a placement experience in an infant program at Whitehills Child Care Association. Claudette was her mentor.  When Heather and Claudette saw each other on the Zoom call at the Infant CoP, memories of the time they had spent together came flooding back.

We asked if they would be willing to share their story of mentorship and connection and they both graciously agreed! Keep reading to see what they had to say!

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Heather’s Story

From September to December 2006 of my Early Childhood Education course, I was lucky to have been placed at the St Thomas Aquinas’ Whitehills Child Care Association site, in the Infant room. My wonderful mentor was Claudette Raymond.

I was nervous, but excited to start my very first experience in an infant room. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. What I found was a calm, happy room, full of content babies and caring staff.

They had the perfect flow there, sharing tasks, observations, and an obvious enjoyment of their work.

To this day, it makes me feel that the success of a quality infant room depends on the kinship and compatibility of the staff.

You could just feel walking into that room that they had the perfect groove going on.  Where they were all equals, taking turns doing the fun and not-so-fun aspects to the job, and the joy in their eyes as they did it all just made me think,

“THIS is why I’m in this field. This is what I want too!”

I recently participated in some Communities of Practice for Infant Educators, and I realized at one of them was the one and only, Claudette Raymond, my former mentor from WHCCA!

I made sure to let her know who I was and how much I appreciated her mentoring me back in 2006, and look where I am now, working at JVCC for London Children’s Connection in…you guessed it…the infant room!

I’ve been there since 2007, 14 years (my goodness, has it been that long?!) and I really owe it to Claudette and the other ladies that were working at that centre, showing me exactly where I belonged in the field of ECE and setting the perfect example of how it should look and feel when you are there:

Calm.

Smooth.

And joyful.

Thank you Claudette, for helping me get to where I am today.

Sincerely,

Heather Dunton (née Vanier) RECE

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Claudette’s Story

How funny life can be!

In my last workshop (Community of Practice: Infant Educators), one of the educators also in attendance remembered me as her mentor!

It took me by surprise, but I was so proud to see that Heather had continued on in childcare.

Heather had many kind words and it warmed my heart to hear that I made a positive impact on her. The day of the workshop she even mentioned that she still had the Christmas gift I gave her!

Wow! That was amazing to hear.

From what I remember, Heather was an excellent student; full of life, eager to learn, wonderful with the infants, and always willing to help.

When I mentor students, I look for hard workers who are willing to learn and ask questions. I also look for the warmth they have towards the little ones. Then, I ask myself, would I want to have them as a coworker? With Heather, my response was a big YES!

I am so proud of Heather and so glad she’s taking care of our little ones. They are very lucky.

I’ve been with Whitehills for 30 years now and hearing this former student remember who I was and how much she loved her placement with us means we must be doing something right!

Sincerely,

Claudette (RECE)

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Thank you to Heather and Claudette for sharing your story and reminding us of this incredibly important, yet often understated aspect of our work: mentoring.

Do you or did you have an amazing mentor? Tell us about the person or people who have positively influenced your professional journey in the comments below!

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT, OR PARTICIPATING IN OUR COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE: INFANT EDUCATORS?  CLICK HERE.

Written by Heather Dunton, RECE & Claudette Raymond, RECE

Introduction and additional notes by The Strive Team

A YEAR IN REVIEW

IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE WE’RE HERE!

And reflecting on what has transpired across our communities, country and globe during 2020 is frankly, quite overwhelming.

We continue to be deeply inspired by the resilience of early learning professionals in these trying times. 

We know it has not been easy and we hope you feel pride in the ways you have shown up, and continue to show up, for children and families in our community.

You are truly unsung heroes.

While 2020 started out uneventfully, what resulted is the most extraordinary year we have ever had! Strive only hosted 13 events in-person this year. For perspective, in 2019, we offered 78 in-person professional learning opportunities. Without warning or preparation, we had to quickly pivot to online offerings, and, along with the rest of the world, adapt to new ways of being, working and connecting.

Since the onset of the pandemic, we have offered 42 virtual events and added 16 new online resources to our Member’s Platform. We also created and shared Professional Learning while Social Distancing which 1430 of you utilized!

Needless to say, despite all the barriers, YOU showed up! Your dedication to your profession is remarkable.

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We could not have done any of it without the support and guidance of our Advisory Committee, Professional Learning Committees, and the early learning community.  We are so thankful.

We are already hard at work planning for a new year of exciting opportunities for learning, growth, reflection and community in 2021. Not to mention, our biggest and most beloved annual tradition, Winter Rethink! With circumstances being what they are and with so much uncertainty still remaining, we have made the difficult, albeit necessary, decision to plan for a virtual Winter Rethink. We have never planned or facilitated a large-scale virtual event and we are reeling with nerves and excitement for what possibilities this decision may hold. We are literally rethinking Winter Rethink!

For many of us, this holiday season is likely to look quite different and with that may come a sense of loss. That’s normal and perfectly understandable. Yet, we still can (and very much need to) stay connected. Think about the traditions you value and reflect on why they matter to you.  What makes them important? What do you want to embrace, even if it looks different this year? What are you willing to let go of? Get outside and get creative! Focus on joy. Take stock in what you have. Be graceful with yourselves and with others. 

Breathe. Smile. Rest.

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Thank you for joining us in Leading Inspired Learning. We look forward to connecting again in 2021!

Wishing you a healthy and peaceful holiday season,

What are you reflecting on as we leave this year behind? Leave us a comment below!

HEALING THROUGH LOVE

SHEKOLI, AANIIN, HELLO.

My name is Tisha Summers. I am from Oneida Nation of the Thames First Nation and Wasauksing Nation. I am Wolf clan and my spirit name is Grey Bear Woman. I am an Art Therapist, and the founder and owner of Heal Through Love Art Therapy. I want to share with you my story about why and how I became an Art Therapist. I have wanted to help people ever since I could remember. I desired to offer support and guidance to those who were struggling. I didn’t know how exactly, but I knew that it was my calling to he a helper.

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My Journey

At a young age, I remember always being so creative…I loved to dance, sing, draw, write and more. Everyday I woke up driven to create in some way, shape, or form. Unfortunately, at the age of 12, I was diagnosed with depression and struggled with it for years. I also struggled with and continue to struggle with anxiety in many forms, from social anxiety to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I was referred by my doctor to a psychiatrist at a psychiatric hospital.  It was an overwhelming experience to say the least. Taking a child to a psychiatric hospital where patients with severe mental health disorders reside was unsettling. Seeing individuals talking to themselves and patients getting restrained, as a 12 year old, scared me deeply. I never wanted to go back. So I turned inward and closed myself up even more. In doing so, I lost hold of the creative part of me.

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The Dark

During the darkest times of my depression I struggled with suicidal ideation, and self-harming behaviours. I felt as if no one could help me and I felt totally alone in the world. I can only explain this period of my life like I was dropped into a hole, surrounding me with total darkness, and all I could see was a faint light above me…the size of a pea. But no matter what I did I could not escape it. I tried to climb out, but couldn’t escape. Nothing helped. People tried to help. They offered support and kind words but no matter what anyone said to me, I could never see past the veil of black that was consuming me. Comments like, “you’re going to be fine,” “you’ll get over this,” or “nothing is wrong with you!” didn’t help matters.

In school, I was always interested in the arts, from fashion design, to photography, to vocals.  In my spare time I began doing automatic writing exercises and creating poetry. In automatic writing, I would write whatever came to my mind, good or bad. I would allow myself to get all of the stuff that I was hanging on to out on the paper!

Many of these pieces were dark and angry, but I allowed myself to feel it, to explore it, and then, to release it. I would sketch and draw to go along with my writings. I soon found that while I was creating art I was totally present in the moment. It felt good. I kept doing this for years, until one day I found that the little pea sized light at the top of my darkness was widening and was getting closer. I found that I was taking interest in new things, socializing with friends again and feeling somewhat happy again. I began allowing and experiencing feelings that I had been numb to for so long.

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The Light

After graduating high school and attending post-secondary education, I found myself needing to choose. Choose what career I wanted, what path I would take. I was at a fork in the road. Do I choose a path of creativity or one of helping others. I didn’t think I could do both. I had heard people say there was no future or security in art. Referring to creatives as “starving artists.” So I decided to study mental health.

I went to school for Human Services Foundation, Child and Youth Worker, and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in sociology. I loved the areas that I studied, but always felt that there was something missing. When I decided on that career path, I once again, cut my creative side off. I realized that I wanted to explore my creative side again, but didn’t know how and feared I wasn’t good enough as an artist. I didn’t know how to open that artistic side up again. I had ignored it for so long. I had to rediscover and reintroduce myself, to myself!

I stumbled upon art therapy when I met someone who was a practicing Art Therapist. This immediately sparked my interest, and I was instantly intrigued. I was overwhelmed by the feeling that this is where I belonged. There were a few barriers when I first reached out to begin the program, but everything began falling into place when the time was right! I completed the program and knew I had found exactly what I was meant to do. Without realizing it, I had used art therapy to get through the hardest parts of my life and now I had the ability to help hundreds of others in the same way.

My career as an Art Therapist has already allowed me help people and I am totally honoured to be a part of their healing journey in some small way!

My mission in life is to help those who are going through similar things to what I went through, and to be that little light in someone else’s life. To help someone navigate their way out of their darkness.

I have experienced darkness. That will always be a part of me. I honour that and I love myself. Every thing that has happened to me has prepared me to be the teacher and helper that I am!

THANK YOU/MIIGWETCH/YAW^KO,

Written by Tisha Summers

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Tisha Summers is from Oneida Nation of the Thames First Nation and Wasauksing First Nation. Tisha has professional designation with the Canadian Art Therapy Association & qualifying registration with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. She has been working directly with children, youth and families for over 17 years in a variety of different settings and is the founder and owner of Heal Through Love Art Therapy.

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On October 17, 2020, you can catch Tisha facilitating Supporting Well-Being and Mental Health Through Art Therapy In this fun, highly interactive, virtual session brought to you through the generous support of the Aboriginal Babies and Beyond Coalition, Tisha will introduce participants to ways in which they can use art therapy as a tool to release emotions.

Each participant will receive a prepared art kit, complete with all the necessary materials.

BEHIND THE FEES: The Real Cost of “FREE” Professional Learning

HELLO FELLOW EDUCATORS AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING ENTHUSIASTS!

I guess now is a perfect opportunity to introduce myself! My name is Bre Piccolotto and I am the newest member of the Strive Team. I’m the one who will be sending you all the emails about completing your reflective feedback surveys (hint: we LOVE it when those are completed!). I hope to get to know the community even better in my role with the Strive team. I am really looking forward to connecting with you about professional learning in the early years!

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The Impact of COVID-19 on our Community

IMAGE DESCRIPTION: TITLE IN LIGHT BLUE BLOCK FONT THAT SAYS “STRIVE EVENTS”. SUBTITLE IN BLACK FONT THAT SAYS “POST COVID 19 CLOSURES IN MARCH 2020”. STATISTICS ARE PROVIDED ABOUT STRIVE EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN HOSTED SINCE THE COVID-19 CLOSURES IN MARCH 2020. THE FIRST LISTED STATISTIC IS “4 MONTHS APRIL TO AUGUST”. THE SECOND STATISTIC IS “24 PROFESSIONAL LEARNING EVENTS”. THE FINAL STATISTIC IS “936 TOTAL ATTENDEES”. BACKGROUND IS LIGHT TURQUOISE WITH ABSTRACT SHAPES IN YELLOW-GREEN, NAVY BLUE, PALE YELLOW, AND LIGHT BLUE.
PHOTO SOURCE: BRE PICCOLOTTO, CREATED ON CANVA.COM

Since April, Strive offered online professional learning events at no cost to our participants. We made that decision because of how severely the early years community was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Even amidst these closures, Strive hosted 24 events and had 936 total attendees! It has been incredible to see this community’s commitment to professional learning even under challenging circumstances! The resilience of early learning professionals is nothing short of inspiring

Prior to working with Strive, I personally attended several of these events as I navigated completing my final semester of the Early Childhood Education program at Fanshawe College amidst the pandemic. I had lost my job in my early years program and was missing the children, families, and colleagues at my centre dearly. I felt listless and my usually upbeat attitude was nowhere to be found. These events helped me refocus on my professional learning goals and provided me with the connection and sense of community I was desperately missing. I began to feel more at ease with how tumultuous and uncertain everything in my life felt. It was wonderful being able to participate with and learn from other professionals and feel supported during this difficult time.

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The Transition to the Recovery Phase and the Cost of “Free”

Across Canada, we are gearing up for autumn. For those of us in education, this means the return to school and the reintroduction of in-person services and programs.

At Strive, we want to support Educators and early years professionals in their learning and growth as they transition into the recovery phase this Fall. As Educators are returning to classrooms and playrooms, Strive will be returning to reinstating some associated fees for events. We will, however, continue to be mindful of the impact the pandemic has had on our community.  If cost should ever present as a barrier to participation, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We want to ensure everyone can participate meaningfully in meeting their professional learning goals. 

We are extremely grateful to the City of London, County of Middlesex, and city of St. Thomas/Elgin County for continuing to support Strive in a way that allows us to keep our fees minimal for participants. It is important to note here, that when fees are collected at registration, they go immediately back into other services and events that we offer.

When events are offered at no cost to participants there are still expenses that need to be covered. Facilitators who are sharing their knowledge, expertise, time, and resources with our community are always compensated. There are also incidental costs for hosting events whether they be in person or online.  Costs for venues, additional equipment, promotion, virtual platform licenses, etc. are all accrued with each session. The Strive team also puts many hours of work into each event to ensure they run smoothly and meet community expectations. We do research and evaluation pre- and post-session to ensure the content is meaningful and in alignment with our guidelines.

We consult and seek endorsement from our Professional Learning Committee to our make certain that our offerings are reflective of Educator needs. All that to say, no fee for you, does not mean no cost to us. Even in instances where there is a registration fee, the amount you pay is significantly different from the actual cost.  Strive is committed to making professional learning as accessible as possible by heavily subsidizing the cost to participants.

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What Happens Now? The Importance of Supporting Each Other

Though the reinstatement of associated fees for some events may come as a surprise to some, those that have been attending Strive events prior to the COVID-19 pandemic closures know that this is not a new practice. Interestingly, we see a 10% increase in attendance when there is an associated registration fee. It would seem that when there is a cost to attend, folks are more likely to hold themselves accountable and follow through with participating.

While this may not seem extremely meaningful at first glance, it is a very important aspect to our operations. Not only does having members of our community attend our events allow us to support your professional learning journeys, but it also allows us to get a better sense of what our community wants and needs to further develop their practices, programs, and careers (*wink* those reflective feedback surveys are an additional way for you to let us know what we can be doing to support you further *wink*). This facilitates future planning.

Additionally, Strive works collaboratively with our facilitators to determine the capacity for each session. When you register for a session and don’t attend, you are denying someone else the opportunity to participate in that learning.  Not only is your attendance a gesture of commitment to your own professional growth but it is also a demonstration of respect and support to the facilitator.  It can be incredibly disheartening to be told that 40 people have registered for your session to only have 15 attend.  As a community of professionals who often feel we do not receive enough societal support or recognition for the work that we do, it is imperative that we are accountable to supporting one another where and when we can. Our passion at Strive is to support and empower our community, and in return we ask that our community not only supports us, but one another as well.

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A Brief Letter to Fellow Educators and Early Years Professionals

Though I am still quite new in the early years community, I have learned a lot about the importance of supporting one another in this field. Being an early years professional can be tough work (as we all know). Honestly, I was not initially expecting it to be as challenging as it has been. Coming from an educational background in psychology, I had a good understanding of early years development. However, this understanding was from a clinical lens which failed to capture the important work Educators do each and every day.

When I stepped into my first program room, I was immediately overwhelmed. I thought, “there is absolutely NO WAY I can do this”. The RECE in the program room noticed my terror immediately. She simply turned to me and said, “these kiddos are so excited to get to know you and you wouldn’t have been hired if you couldn’t do this”. That quick statement, said in passing, as she rushed to stop a toddler from dunking a dinosaur plush into the toilet, meant the world to me. As I took a deep breath, I took my first step towards embracing my passion and purpose in being an early years professional. 

As I have progressed in my career, I would not have developed into the Educator and professional I am today without the support of other Educators and pedagogical leaders. I owe so many of my successes to the amazing Educators who have supported me on my journey. That is why I feel it is so essential to offer that same support to other Educators and early years professionals.  I truly believe that reciprocal support will be what advances our community forward. Coming together as a community of professionals and supporting one another in our growth is vital.

I want to personally thank all of you for your perseverance, hard work, and support throughout these unprecedented times.  The work that you do is essential and the impact you have is undeniable.

If you have any further questions or comments about Strive’s operational decisions, or would like to know more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me! 

Written by Bre Piccolotto

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Breanna Piccolotto is Strive’s Project Associate and a Registered Early Childhood Educator. Bre recently moved to London from Guelph and is enjoying exploring her new city!  Bre loves acquiring and tending to her many houseplants.  In her spare time, Bre is learning American Sign Language and Korean. You can connect with Bre at breanna@striveswo.ca.

MEET BREANNA, STRIVE’S NEW PROJECT ASSOCIATE!

We are thrilled to introduce you to our newest team member, Breanna Piccolotto. Bre is joining Strive as the Project Associate, so she will be a key community contact, working closely with participants and facilitators alike.

We asked Bre some questions about herself, to get to know her a little better. Keep reading to see what she said!

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Tell Us a Bit About Yourself

Hi. My name is Breanna or Bre, the new Strive Project Associate. I am a recent Fanshawe ECE graduate and I am beyond excited to be an officially Registered Early Childhood Educator. My educational background is in psychology with a minor in statistics. My primary area of interest during my undergraduate studies was social psychology. Looking at the ways people interact and how those interactions come to affect the individual’s brain and personality. This is what initially piqued my interest in Early Childhood Education because it is not only about the impact an Educator can have on a child but it is also the impact a child can have on an Educator. I’m fascinated with how the relationships we develop with children alter the ways that we think, problem solve, manage stress and all kinds of other really interesting changes to our individual responses.

I am originally from Toronto but I grew up in Guelph. Excited to be moving to London soon!

I was an athlete when I was younger. My main sport was wrestling. I was even positioned to join the Canadian Olympic team but unfortunately, I suffered an injury and was unable to continue.

I have two younger brothers who are my inspiration for becoming an Early Childhood Educator. And I have two adorable cats!

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What is something you’ve learned recently that you’re excited about?

I’ve been really active on social media recently. With the Covid shut down, it has become a much larger part of my life than it was before. So I’ve been really taking some time to learn from other Educators through their social media platforms. Something that I’ve become really interested in are conversations around professionalism and the imbalances that exist in how professionalism is typically defined or characterized. How the ideals of professionalism have negative impacts for women and people from racialized or marginalized communities. I’ve been reflecting on how my own experiences in positions of leadership have been impacted by imbalanced and idealized professionalism. How it has affected my role as a leader and how I interact with others. It’s been a really fun and educational experience for me. Very revealing. I’m learning to re-define what professionalism means to me and how those standards impact different people based on the position they are in.

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What is something your unlearning?

I am a pretty sensitive person and one thing that I have realized is that I am quick to apologize. So something I am unlearning is how to stop apologizing for things that I don’t need to apologize for and, instead, reframing it in an expression of gratitude or appreciation. For example, I was meeting a friend and I was running a few minutes late and instead of saying “oh I’m so sorry for being late” I said, “thank you so much for waiting for me.” And just that slight change in how I expressed my feelings around that situation completely changed the interaction I had with my friend. Instead of immediately focusing on a negative, it changed it into something positive.

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What is the biggest misconception about Early Childhood Education you would like to see debunked?

Well, I think there’s a ton, but the biggest myth I see is that Early Childhood Educators are not professionals and that it is an easy job. I started in the field with zero experience working with children. I had done a little bit of coaching but that was mainly with youth and older children and the only experience I had working in education prior to coming into the field was with young adults. So I stepped into a toddler classroom for the very first time and was instantly overwhelmed. There was so much going on and I quickly learned that there are so many nuances in terms of how you interact and build relationships with children and families. It is not easy! This work requires so much training, expertise, and experience and I really feel that a lot of people are completely unaware of that.

I think our government in particular fails to see the Early Childhood Educator as skilled professional and that unfortunately results in a lack of needed support, respect and recognition.

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What advice would you give someone considering pursuing a career in Early Childhood Education?

Take opportunities to work with different age groups. One of the most challenging things for me when I first started, because I wasn’t as experienced as some of my fellow Educators, was that I felt very uncomfortable in new environments. I got into a groove with the toddlers and the idea of stepping outside of that was very intimidating. But working across different age groups gives you a lot of great new perspectives on joys and challenges within the field that you might not have considered before. There’s so many wonderful moments that you can have with children in different age groups. What makes infants unique is very different from what makes toddlers unique and so on, so I think it is important to seek out those opportunities and experiences when you can. I think a certain level of understanding between you and your fellow Educators can be achieved as well when you take the time to experience or understand what their specific age group is like. So don’t be afraid to embrace new experiences outside your comfort zone.

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How has professional learning contributed to your practice?

Having entered the field initially with no previous experience working with young children or education in Early Childhood, there was a massive learning curve for me. Without professional learning opportunities, I don’t think I would have been able to be a successful Educator.

One of the first professional learning opportunities that I engaged in was a course about resiliency. It looked at resiliency in adults and how that could be translated to working with children. What I found that it gave me, and what I think all professional learning gives us the opportunity to do, is step back and step out of practice to reflect.

At the time, I was a new Educator, in a really busy room and I was still feeling fairly overwhelmed and feeling very unsure of myself and this really helped me take that step back and reframe what was going on in myself and in the environment in a way that ultimately helped me be a better Educator.

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Do you have a favourite quote?

“Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness. And the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. It is far better to take things as they come with patience and equanimity.”

Carl Jung

That’s something I try very hard to practice and keep top of mind in my own life.

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If you were an ice cream flavor, what flavour would you be and why?

Something I learned during the pandemic is that I am lactose intolerant so it would have to be something dairy-free. So maybe lemon sorbet? Because it’s sweet but also a little tangy and that’s like me!

Welcome, Bre! We are so excited to work with you!

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

TO ALL MY UNIQUELY NAMED FRIENDS OUT THERE, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU.

I struggled to share this story but I think it might be worth a read.

My name is Bonika Sok, and there’s a good chance you didn’t say my name right. It’s pronounced Bon-nik-ka Soak. At first it was a nuisance but now my name has become an important part of my identity. My name has impacted the way I see myself.

Thus, the purpose of my story is to bring awareness to the My Name My Identity Campaign which advocates the importance of pronouncing people’s names correctly because how your name is perceived can impact the personal beliefs you develop about yourself.

Your name is your identity, which means so much more than you think.

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What Motivated Me to Write this Blog Post?

My personal life experiences, along with the experiences of those who have related to them, and the messages I have received surrounding my name, are what drove me to share my story. As well, there were a few resources I recently discovered that helped motivate me to write this blog post.

@zenned_math

I was surprised to have stumbled across the My Name, My Identity Campaign because I didn’t know something like this even existed.  I didn’t realize that my struggle with my name was such a common issue.

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE CAMPAIGN ARE TO:

1. BRING AWARENESS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPECTING ONE’S NAME AND IDENTITY IN SCHOOLS AS MEASURED BY THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS MAKING A PLEDGE TO PRONOUNCE STUDENTS’ NAMES CORRECTLY
   

2. BUILD A RESPECTFUL AND CARING CULTURE IN SCHOOL COMMUNITIES THAT VALUE DIVERSITY AS MEASURED BY MY NAME STORIES POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

I truly admire what the campaign stands for as it directly aligns with my personal values and philosophy of Early Childhood Education and Care.

I was also inspired by Gerardo Ochoa’s TED talk about his experience growing up with a name that is difficult to pronounce. I was completely moved by his speech and after watching his talk, I remember feeling thoroughly understood. Throughout his presentation, I kept saying to myself “wow, this guy gets it!” It was very reassuring to hear his experiences and be able to connect to it so deeply. A large part of how I came about reclaiming my own name was from hearing his story. He, as well as my wonderful work colleagues, gave me the courage and motivation to share my name story and how it has impacted my developing identity.

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Why is This important?

“A person’s name is the greatest connection to their own identity and individuality. Some might say it is the most important word in the world to that person”

(Russell, 2014).

Our names are a large part of who we are as individuals and should be honoured, valued, and respected as such.

According to the My Name My Identity Campaign, “by pronouncing students’ names correctly, you can foster a sense of belonging and build positive relationships in the classroom, which are crucial for healthy social, psychological, and educational outcomes” (2016). This concept is so important and aligns directly with the values of Ontario’s guiding documents for the early years (e.g. How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years (2014), Early Learning for Every Child Today: A Framework for Ontario Early Childhood Settings (2007), and Think, Feel, Act: Lessons from Research About Young Children (2013), etc.).

When we consistently pronounce peoples’ names incorrectly, as Gerardo Ochoa says, it can lead to “invisibility”. Children can feel invisible when others constantly struggle to pronounce their names or when their names are not appreciated or recognized as “normal” or “common.”

This can impact a child’s developing self-esteem as our names are a large part of what makes up our individual identity. It can also have damaging effects on a child’s social and emotional development. Disproportionally, the mispronunciation of names affects newcomer children and children of colour, children who are likely already struggling to feel visible and represented in dominant White culture. This comes to influence not only one’s sense of self, but how one relates to others as well.

@antiracismdaily

Image Description: Grey Background

Anti-Racism Daily

Take the time to learn how to say our names correctly, even if at first the sounds are difficult for you.

Acknowledge that a name is not just a name - it represents a history and a community.

Understand how the ongoing denial of names connects to country’s legacy of erasure of Black, Indigenous and other people of colour.

Have you ever wondered about the messages we unintentionally send to children when we mispronounce their names? When your Educator describes your name as “difficult to pronounce” or struggles to say it,  it could be received as “your name does fit into my vocabulary”. Some peoples’ names are a significant part of their ethnic identity.  When their names are perceived as different, it can make that individual feel isolated and can impact their sense of belonging and how they come to see themselves, their ethnicity, and their culture.  It is my hope that my story can inspire people to not only embrace their own name and identity but to be respectful and considerate of other peoples’ names as well.

Another reason I am writing this is because I have noticed that there are many people who have felt the need to completely change their name to make it easier for others to pronounce. There seems to be this assumption, especially for newcomers to Canada, that when you arrive here, you need to change your name to something more “Canadian” in order to fit into society.

For instance, I have a friend who immigrated from China and she changed her name when coming to Canada because, in China, her English teacher suggested that this was necessary when moving to an English-speaking country. She told me that she recognized that her real name can be hard for others to pronounce correctly and she had many experiences of having her name mispronounced. She also believed that changing her name would allow her to be more easily accepted in Canada and her “Canadian name” would make it easier for people to remember her.

When I asked her what name she would like to be called, she told me she would love to be called by her real name, but because she is shy and does not feel comfortable correcting others, not wishing to draw any attention to herself, she says nothing. This is similar to my culture, where growing up we are taught that we should always respect and obey our authority figures (ie. elders, teachers, etc.).  Questioning or correcting is considered to be very inappropriate.

With this in mind, I encourage everyone to take the steps to ask what name a person wants to be called.

Changing a name is a personal decision and should never be an expectation.

@theconciouskid

And if someone corrects you about the pronunciation of their name, don’t get defensive, just apologize and try again. Take time to practice if you need to. They are not trying to be rude or picky, they are simply claiming ownership of their name and identity.

And to the people out there who have felt they had to change their name, I want you to know that your name holds great significance and you should embrace it. Correct people EVERY TIME they mispronounce it.

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My Name Story

I’m sure we all loved it when there was a substitute teacher in class because it probably meant that we were watching movies all day. But for some of us, we actually dreaded seeing a new face at the front of the classroom because it meant, once again, our name was about to be butchered in front of the entire class, followed by an awkward public apology or poor joke.

Every year in elementary school, my teachers would always make a big scene before even attempting to pronounce my name. Every time, I heard the words “I’m sorry if I pronounce this wrong,” I knew that it was my name that was going to be announced next. I can remember always dreading that first part of the day when attendance was taken. It always made me feel embarrassed and, over time, I began to feel ashamed of my name.

There have been so many variations of my name and growing up, the other children would poke fun at it. I hated my name for a long time. I didn’t like that it was different and hard to pronounce correctly. I thought my name was ugly and I would even complain to my mom and ask her why she chose it. I also felt that it impeded on my ability to fit in with the rest of my peers because I was the only one that had an “uncommon” name. My name could feel like a barrier that prevented me from connecting with my peers.

Because my name didn’t feel like it fit in, I didn’t feel like I fit in either.

@alyssagtyghter

Needless to say, my name was mispronounced throughout my years of elementary school. Similar to my friend from China, I was also very shy and I never wanted to correct my teachers and draw attention to myself. I felt like I was being rude or disobedient to my teachers if I corrected them because of the culture I grew up in.

And so, I decided to just let them say my name however they thought it was supposed to be pronounced to make it easier for them.

But in doing so, I realize now that I was only inconveniencing myself because I was being called a name that wasn’t my own.

What I wish I could have told my teachers during this time was;

1) please take the time to learn to pronounce my name correctly so that I don’t feel any different from my peers,

2) please encourage others to take the time to learn as well, and;

3) please do not bring unnecessary attention to it.

When approaching high school, I was given the option to switch my preferred name, so I registered as Nika, a nickname I go by because it is shorter and people are less likely to mispronounce it. By switching my name, there were fewer mispronunciation issues compared to when I was in elementary school. However, in high school, I came across people who wanted to change my name anyways. For example, someone said they wanted to call me Nikki, “for short”. Or some people, when they discovered that I didn’t like my name, would use it in a sad attempt to get under my skin.

Even today, when people try to pronounce my name, they will overemphasize parts of it, or say it very slowly, or some will even begin to pick up a foreign accent when trying to say it.

It was only recently that I realized that for years I’ve completely ignored my real name. Hidden it. This was largely because of my early school experiences. It made me feel like I was different, and when I was that young, I didn’t understand that there was a bigger world out there and that being different was a beautiful thing. My school, classroom, and community were all that I knew. I was easily impressionable. It felt like no one else received this type of attention, so I was left feeling I was different and that I didn’t belong.

These were the lessons I learned indirectly and most likely not even intentionally. That is why it is so important to be aware of these actions and correct them early. This way of thinking needs to be changed so that other children with unique names won’t grow up feeling like outcasts, branding their own self-images and self-expectations.

It took me a long time, but now I am at a point where I love and accept my name. It is different, it is part of what makes me unique, and I now fully embrace both my name and my identity.

I am proud of my name and where I come from and I want others to feel empowered by their names as well.

I struggled to share this story because I am aware of an idea Brené Brown often talks about, that of ‘comparative suffering’, where we don’t want to talk about our struggles because there are other people out there that we perceive to have experienced worse. So we keep our stories to ourselves. But then I was taught that maybe I was robbing the world from hearing their own stories in mine.  There are people out there that can probably relate and may feel less lonely or be inspired by it.

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What are the Key Messages I Want People to Take Away After Reading My Post?

• To bring awareness to the My Name My Identity Campaign

• Honour and value all names and identities

• The importance of taking the time to learn how to pronounce someone’s name correctly

• Make sure you always correct people when they mispronounce your name

• Advocate for others; if you know someone is pronouncing someone’s name wrong, please correct them

• Encourage others to share their stories and experiences; you are not alone

• Promote empathy and respect for cultural names and identities

and finally, and most importantly, be empowered by and embrace your beautiful name!

Want to engage the children in your care in a discussion about belonging and the beauty of names?  Check out Your Name is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow.  This beautiful story is a love letter to the unique beauty and musicality of our names.

Written by Bonika Sok

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References

Russell, J. (2014). Career coach: The power of using a name. Retrieved from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/career-coach-the-power-of-using-a-name/2014/01/10/8ca03da0-787e-11e3-8963-b4b654bcc9b2_story.html

Santa Clara County Office of Education (2018). Student voice: Respecting the name, respecting the identity [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOipDe7lhYM&feature=youtu.be

Ochoa, Gerardo  (2019) Getting it right; why pronouncing names correctly matters [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58tDCaEWfHI&feature=youtu.be

The My Name, My Identity Campaign. (2016).  https://www.mynamemyidentity.org/

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Bonika Sok is Strive’s Project Intern from the Honours Bachelor of Early Childhood Leadership program at Fanshawe College.  Bonika was born and raised here in London, Ontario and is one of 7 siblings.  When she isn’t studying, you can probably find Bonika teaching herself Spanish, working out or spending time with her family.  After graduation next year, Bonika plans to pursue a Master’s Degree in Social Work.

AN OPEN LETTER FOR A NATIONAL CHILD CARE STRATEGY

This week, the Licensed Child Care Network, in collaboration with Fanshawe College and Strive, sent an open letter to elected officials at various levels of the municipal, provincial and federal government.

Our three organizations have come together to advocate, research, and promote a National Childcare Strategy for Canada, setting in motion a collaboration that is unique and fluid to meeting the needs of those who value the early years in the London region.

The existing gaps and inequities in the child care sector were made far more visible during the COVID-19 pandemic. A national strategy and publicly funded system would be the best way forward both in terms of equitable access for children and families and the continued professionalization of Educators.

All levels of government must take action in creating a National Childcare Strategy with the pillars of Affordability, Access, Quality and Responsiveness in mind.

Read the full letter here: A National Childcare Strategy

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OPERATIONS: COVID-19 REMAINDER OF 2020

Hi everyone,

We hope you are finding joy during this unique summer we are experiencing. The Strive team continues to work from home and are extremely grateful to the Childreach leadership for taking the safety of staff and the community very seriously.

We know it has been a busy time getting centres up and running and navigating the new health and safety measures. Strive wants to extend our deepest appreciation for all that you do in supporting children and families.

With the full endorsement of our Advisory and Professional Learning Committees, Strive will remain virtual for the remainder of 2020. Your health is of the upmost importance to us and we want to ensure that when we gather in person again, it is with full confidence that we can keep everyone as safe as possible.

We will continue releasing our virtual events on our website and social media as offerings are booked so please stay connected with us!

Another great way to know what is coming up is to join our monthly e-blast. You can do so by clicking here: https://striveswo.us17.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=14aa67582bccdaba43ca65484&id=7366e4c949

Thank you again for all the important work you do, we look forward to continuing to support you virtually. Stay positive and healthy!

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PROFESSIONAL LEARNING WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING

Strive recognizes that professional learning may not be top-of-mind during this unprecedented time. We are viewing this work-from-home opportunity as a gift of time to engage in intentional professional growth. Perhaps you need to catch up on documenting your Continuous Professional Learning (CPL from the College of ECE), or you want to achieve some of the goals you have set. Now is the time.

The Strive Team, along with incredible community partners, created this curated list of professional learning opportunities, while maintaining strict social distancing of course.

Firstly, Strive has great online resources on our Members Section including a Program Overview from All Kids Belong, Art-Full Wellness from HOTO Art Therapy, and Karyn Callaghan’s incredible speech from the 2019 Literacy Conference… just to name a few. We are looking into unique ways to continue to offer you live digital PL over the next few weeks as well – so stay tuned to our Social Media platforms and the website for registration.

We also wanted to offer some additional external resources that may be of benefit to you. Our hope is that this list will offer a variety of opportunities that would support goals in many pedagogical areas. As a reminder, here is how Strive defines the Pedagogical Focuses:

• Well-Being: Focuses on nurturing a sense of self, health, and wellness for children, families, and professionals.

• Belonging: Focuses on cultivating authentic, responsive relationships, positive interactions, and valuing each individual’s unique spirit and contributions.

• Engagement: Focuses on meaningful play, inquiry, and exploration, as well as the role of the environment in the co-learning process.

• Expression: Focuses on fostering communication and expression in all forms.

• Leadership: Focuses on organizational culture and engagement, as well as personal leadership skills.

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Podcasts:

Finding Fred is a 10-part series about the life, thinking and work of Fred Rogers, and what lessons can be gleaned from his legacy about how to get by in today’s chaotic world. Episode 1, A Genius of Empathy is particularly good.

Hygge in the Early Years is a charming, weekly podcast embracing Hygge (the Danish concept of coziness and comfort that produces feelings of wellness) to improve on self-care and happiness for Early Childhood Educators.

Playwork is a podcast for people who love to play! Each episode features interviews with playworkers, educators, and play theorists working to create dynamic spaces for play. There are only a few episodes so far but they are really interesting, especially if you have an interest in the adventure play movement.

The Good Ancestor Podcast considers how to create a legacy of healing and liberation for those who are here in this lifetime, and those who will come after us. Host, Layla Saad’s interview with the Executive Director at The Conscious Kid, Ramon Stephens, on parenting through a critical race lens is really excellent.

How Preschool Teachers Do It is a weekly podcast hosted by Early Childhood professionals and advocates Alison Kentos and Cindy Terebush. They use evidence-based research and practice to address a variety of contemporary issues in Early Childhood Education. They have been putting out a lot of great content around the pandemic over the last few weeks. Time Out By Any Other Name Is Still Time Out is another fave.

The Early Education Show examines the policies and politics of education and young children. It is based in Australia but many of the themes are universal.

The Thriving Children Podcast weaves central themes of movement, play and connection, as crucial ingredients in the early years of life through each episode. Alfie Kohn, Lisa Burman, Marc Armitage have all been guests.

All In The Mind is a weekly podcast looking into the mental universe, the mind, brain and behavior. While not focused on Early Childhood Education specifically or exclusively, it definitely informs and overlaps our work. Check out the episodes on Childhood Trauma and the Brain, The Art of Neurodiversity, The Power of Compassion and What is My Child Thinking? an exploration of the latest developments in neuroscience that reveal the intelligence and enhanced consciousness of infants. Or if you’re an animal lover, On Being a Dog.

Smart People Podcast is a weekly, interview-based podcast that features well respected thought leaders engaging in insightful conversation on topics such as psychology, leadership, education, relationships, and more. The episode, How Your Stories Change Your Reality with Educational Neuroscientist, Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath is INCREDIBLE!

Invisibilia by NPR is an all-time favourite. It looks at the unseeable forces that control human behavior and shape our ideas, beliefs, and assumptions. The whole show is incredibly well researched and produced but Season 3 was a real standout. They dubbed it their concept album built around the central idea that, “the world you think you’re living in, is not real.” Check out the episode, The Culture Inside about unconscious bias, and the two-part episode on Emotions.

Curiosity Daily is a daily podcast dedicated to helping you learn more about your mind, body, the natural world, and how history shaped the world into what it is today. Do you know why toilet paper is white? I do. Because of this show.  In under 10 minutes, episodes contain a unique mix of research-based life hacks, the latest psychology, science, tech news and more. The show notes always link to additional resources, research briefs and/or academic papers, which is also very cool. Check out the episode that discusses surprising new findings about the role and importance of fetal vision in the womb.

Unlocking Us, hosted by Brené Brown are weekly conversations that unlock the deeply human part of who we are, so that we can live, love, parent, and lead with more courage and heart. The most recent episode, Permission to Feel with Dr. Marc Bracket on the topic of emotional literacy is incredibly insightful and thought-provoking.

After the publication of the Early Years Study 4 back in February, author of the report, the Honourable Mrs. Margaret McCain, sat down with In Conversation host Stephen Hurley to discuss the work and the future of Early Childhood Education. Listen to that conversation HERE.

The BIG PICTURE Social Emotional Learning Podcast tackles a wide-range of topics associated with Social Emotional Learning and development. Episodes are brief and always include research-based evidence as well as practical strategies.

The Preschool Podcast provides practical advice for managing your organization, centre or classroom, as well as thought provoking content and insights about the field of Early Childhood Education. It is produced by HiMama, so occasionally has an obvious, self-serving agenda, but by and large the content is quite good.

Similarly, The Early Learning Podcast, produced by Storypark is for early learning professional looking for “inspiration on the go.” They cover a range of topics such as resilience and self-regulation.

By Leaps & Bounds: A Closer Look at Early Childhood examines how investment in high-quality early learning and care benefits children, families, and Educators as well as society, the workforce and the economy. It is produced in Michigan, but topics and themes (the benefits of play, the critical role of ECEs, etc.) are transferable.

Checking In, is a Ted.com podcast that is being produced in light of the heightened emotions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.   Host, Susan David is a psychologist at Harvard Medical School who offer us strategies, a support system and an understanding voice during this time of great uncertainty.

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Mental Health:

Mental Health Online Resources for Educators: https://more.hmhc.ca/

Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute: https://ca.ctrinstitute.com/

CAMH: https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-health-and-covid-19

BounceBack® is a free skill-building program managed by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA):

https://bouncebackontario.ca/

Mental Health First Aid: https://www.mhfa.ca/sites/default/files/mhfa_self-care-resilience-guide.pdf

Peak Resilience: https://peak-resilience.com/blog/2020/3/15/covid-19-amp-your-mental-health-a-comprehensive-resource-guide

Locke Psychotherapy: https://www.locke-psychotherapy.com/post/providing-emotional-practical-support-for-a-child-or-adolescent-during-covid-19

Recorded Webinar: Managing Anxiety During Social (Physical) Isolation for families (from the Nexus Health / Best Start Network): https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/7567216560642617100

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Special Needs Resourcing:

Geneva Centre for Autism: https://www.autism.net/

Thames Valley Children’s Centre: https://www.tvcc.on.ca/content?field_theme_tid=24&type_1=resources&field_county_value=All

CPRI: https://www.cpri.ca/workshops_available/

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 Development: 

The Brain Story Certification: https://www.albertafamilywellness.org/training

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Curriculum and Pedagogy: 

City Wide Training: https://citywidetraining.ca/resources/curriculum-and-pedagogy.html

MEHRIT Centre: Self Reg 30 Day Challenge

Technology Rich Inquiry Based Research: Process Art: https://tecribresearch.wordpress.com/2020/03/21/continuous-professional-learning-for-early-childhood-educators-process-art/?fbclid=IwAR39SoIFPpCcVh3lCHeXlwYI2U21vMkMXWZAIaZJn42WZAyFHOYRStnoC5Y

The National Geographic Educator Certification (Starts on April 6): https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/professional-development/educator-certification/

Outdoor Play as a Quality Maker of Early Learning & Risky Play Outdoors: https://www.gotostage.com/channel/0937d93b97574a1cb23e9b1b19c2f1f4

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Membership/Policy:

College of ECE: https://www.college-ece.ca/en/Members/Resources

Ministry of Education, Child Care and Early Years Act Self Test: http://www.earlyyears.edu.gov.on.ca/EYPortal/en/ChildCareLicensing/CCEYASelfTest/index.htm

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 Reflective Reading and Perspective:

Early Childhood Education: Making Sense of Our Life’s Course

https://tecribresearch.wordpress.com/2020/03/18/early-childhood-education-making-sense-of-our-lifes-course/

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Resources for Families:

Play in the Time of Coronavirus Tim Gill (Rethinking Childhood) and Penny Wilson: https://rethinkingchildhood.com/2020/03/18/children-play-in-the-time-of-coronavirus-playwork/#more-7391

Building a Routine When Working from Home and Caring for Kids:  https://blog.himama.com/building-a-routine-when-working-at-home-and-caring-for-kids/

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Independent Professional Learning:

Early Childhood Investigations Webinars: https://www.earlychildhoodwebinars.com/

Tamarack Institute: Webinars for leadership growth and development: https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/eventlisting#webinars

Western Continuing Studies is offering three FREE courses in April. These include everyday French, Emergency Management, Design Thinking.

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Leadership:

How We Lead: https://howwelead.org/2020/03/18/5-strategies-for-leading-through-the-uncertainty-of-covid-19/

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Truth Before Reconciliation

Get a primer in Canada’s colonial reality; a necessary first step in building just relationships with Indigenous Peoples and the land.

8th Fire: Wab’s Walk through History 

• A quick walk through 500 years of history that ends with an invitation to talk & learn (video, 2 minutes)

How do we solve structural racism?

• An overview of 30-years of recommendations to solve the problems of racism and inequality in Canada (PDF)

Is it really genocide? In Canada?

• Indigenous activists, artists and journalists examine the UN’s definition of genocide alongside Canada’s history (video, 7 minutes)

Canada’s Dark Secret

• Survivors revisit residential schools, and Murray Sinclair explains the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (video, 47 minutes)

Can you commit to 12-16 hours for more in-depth, online learning? The Ontario Indigenous Cultural Safety Program is open for London-Middlesex ECEs, sponsored by the local Journey Together committee. This foundational course will increase your knowledge of colonial legacies and bias. Email asmall@london.ca for registration details. Start dates are ongoing; next available is mid-April.

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We will continue to add to this list as we explore additional professional learning opportunities. Be sure to check back often!

Thanks and stay well,