We have been learning about how to be an excellent Early Learning Professional this class. Everything was important, however, I want to point out the learnings that I think are most important to make someone an excellent early learning professional.
Part 1. Consider the profession of early learning and childcare and the role of the educator.
“Children in new cultures and environments learn in many ways” (Kashin, 2015, P53). When you are working with children, especially when you are at the daycare, we are met with lots of diversity from families and coworkers. Educators communicate with each child’s family and get to know about their child. To be truly inclusive, childcare professionals need to respect the children’s culture and beliefs to better support the families who come to rely on their care. When educators plan for their curriculum, this inclusiveness must influence their program. That way children can celebrate their own unique cultures as well as value each other’s. Communication with families will help educators to establish their cultural competency as well. Multiple literacies are a good way for narrative learning for children. Based on what they learn, educators are also provide scaffolding experience for children to expand their learning experiences. Educators should be aware that they are a part of the community. “Early leaning professionals can relate their practices to the concepts of community and look for ways to enhance children’s development in the social and emotional realm” (Dietze & Kashin, 2015, P69). This experience could support children for their self-regulation skills such as exercising patience, persistence, flexibility, and curiosity in their environments (Dietze & Kashin, 2015). In simple terms, to provide their communities with inclusive, professional childcare, educators must practice patience, be detail-oriented, flexible, open mind and maintain respect by familiarizing themselves with the families of the children they care for.
Educators should be aware of what our role is as an early learning professional. To the children we care for, we represent their co-learner, co-researcher, and co-imaginer of possibilities. When we know our role, we can perform our job professionally. “Your role is made more dynamic through imaging, creating, and inventing possibilities” (Flight: Alberta’s Early Learning and Care Framework, 2014, P50). We should not be afraid to take on professional challenge as well. When we work as a team this can make situations that need an inclusive and well thought out solution much easier. Teams can consist of the child, colleagues, other educators, and of course the child’s family. When we think together, we can find solutions together.
Educators can help to create responsive environments for children for early learning. This approach, when done suitably, will help to create strong, resourceful, capable children better prepared to become a good learner and citizen. As an early educator, one of the biggest challenges is time management, especially if you are with a younger age like infants or toddlers. This is because there are lots of unpredictable things that can happen in those rooms. We can create these suitable approaches for children to make an efficient learning environment using time, space, materials, and participation. We can make decorate our classroom environment to fit in with the program as well, which can help to elaborate and expand children’s’ experiences and learning. A suitable planning process can start by observing children. Educators spend a lot of time with their children in the classroom, therefore they get to see and learn what is attracting the children’s attention, what their interests are, and how they are thinking and feeling. When educators, children, and families participate in early learning, we can expand their learning and experience together. We can be a team focused on the children under our care. Educators are not only helping the development of the children in their rooms, but also are playing, seeking, participating, and caring for them.
Part 2. Reflect on yourself as the educator.
To be honest, before I became a mom, I was only an ok educator. I was an educator for two years before having my son, but after that I came to realize that I did not have much knowledge about children’s development back then. There were a lot of things I did not understand about children. Because of that I did not communicate very much with families to get to know them better. It is still a long journey to becoming an excellent educator but as a mom of super busy toddler, I feel I have a better understanding of their development and what they need for their age. Now with my attention to detail, my expanding knowledge about childcare, and my inclusive nature, I am confident to communicate and build a relationship with the families of the children in my care. They feel comfortable to have me with their children which, as a mom, is one of the most comfortable feelings you can have since they are trusting you with their child or children almost every day of the week.
I am a very mission-oriented, responsible person. I like to stick with a schedule and I like to accomplish what was planned. Because of this, sometimes it is hard to be more flexible even though I understand that flexibility is one of the most important abilities for an early childhood educator. I have to practice being more relaxed and telling myself progress is more important over scheduled events.
As I mentioned, understanding diversity and respecting different cultures is very important for early leaning. This is because we are in Canada where we are a multicultural society. Here you will find aboriginal, immigrant, and refugee families as well as second, third, and further generation Canadians. As an immigrant to Canada, I always know where I am from and who I am, but I also consider myself as a Canadian. Also, as a mom and an educator I keep trying to show my child and all children in my room not only Canadian culture, but also give support and experience to other cultures. I think showing support for culture and for family is one of the biggest parts of our roles as early learning professionals. Support for each family will in turn give support for that community. This could help to build a healthy and safe environment for where we are live and hopefully extend beyond that and into our culture and society.
“The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new” (Proust, 1871-1922, P255). As an educator and an adult, children make me surprised and inspire me in so many ways. For example, I often conventionalize how to use objects. Children, on the other hand, use objects in so many ways. They see everything with fresh eyes. This is one of the biggest reason I continually want to work with them. This profession is also physically challenging. I would like to become a childcare licensing officer in the next 5 years. I still need to improve my English skills, computer skills, and learning children’s development, but I feel I am on the right track to get there. In 10 years I have no idea what path I will be on, but I know once I reach my 5 years goal, I will start to search for something to push my motivation again. I never thought about being an early childhood educator during the past 5 years ago, but here I am now. I want to be an educator who can listen and follow the children’s interests rather than be a more regimented instructor type educator. “Nature has given us two ears, two eyes, and but one tongue to the end that we should hear and see more than we speak” (Socrates, 464-399 BCE, P151).
In conclusion, early leaning professionals should be engaging and participating with children, families, and communities. There should be a focus to build a good relationship with them as well. Educators need to expand their own creativity and support children’s imaginations, and always be sure that all children and their families are made to be included.
References
Dietze, B., & Kashin, D. (2015a). Empowering Pedagogy for Early Childhood Education.
Flight: Alberta’s Early Learning and Care Framework. (2014). Library and Archives Canada.