Ep: 11 - Caring for Community
With special guest, Shel Secrett
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Bre is joined by Shel Secrett, RECE, to talk about visibility and community. Shel shares stories of both her personal and professional life, as well as some Canadian 2SLBGTQIA+ history, to demonstrate the importance of living, loving, and caring in community. Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Guest Bio
Shel Secrett (she/her) is a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE) at Emmanuel at Brighton Child Care in Waterloo, Ontario. Shel is very involved in Waterloo Region's vibrant 2SLGBTQQIA+ community by hosting fundraisers, raising awareness and empowering people to be who they are.
As an RECE, Shel believes that all children need to see a reflection of themselves and their families in early childhood programs and that one small action towards accepting and celebrating our differences leads to another.
She has taught in the ECE program at Conestoga College and also has been a pedagogical consultant at the Early Childhood Professional Resource Centre in Kitchener.
Shel presents her dynamic workshops at professional development events and conferences throughout Ontario and Manitoba. Our community has been fortunate enough to have Shel facilitate for us several times. Most recently, Shel facilitated Rainbow Families, which focused on the importance of visibility of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in the early years.
-
Rainbow Families: Visibility in the Early Years - Session Slides on Strive Online
The Fruit Machine: Why every Canadian should learn about this country’s “gay purge” - CBC Article
1969: The Stonewall Uprising - Library of Congress
Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders (London Public Library) (Middlesex Public Library) (Elgin County Public Library)
This Day in June by Gayle E. Pitman (London Public Library) (Middlesex Public Library)
Waves in the Bathtub by Eugenie Fernandes (Amazon)
-
Our ECE Professional Resource Centre team has thoughtfully curated resources that celebrate, uplift, and centre 2SLGBTQQIA+ experiences and encourage children, families, and educators to learn about different identities.
@eceresourcecentre (Instagram) Resources overview reel
@eceresourcecentre (Instagram) History of Pride and related resources post
Rainbow Families: Visibility in the Early Years - Session Slides on Strive Online
Supporting Gender Creative Kids - Session Recording on Strive Online
Supporting Gender Creative Kids - Session Slides on Strive Online
Reading the Rainbow with Mela Swayze - Session Slide Deck on Strive Online