A line in the sand

I am still in touch with some friends from school. Those few souls that knew my favorite artists, foods, and places. The unique people that shaped my childhood and experiences. In fact, they were the people I experienced everything with. Through the rise of cell phones and the decline of bell bottoms. We were as thick as thieves. We survived the break up of the Spice Girls and the creation of The Notebook. Now it seems as though we have come to an impasse of sorts.

We find ourselves in the position that many friends do. We have grown apart. People in general grow apart. This occurs all the time. It is as common as a vowel in alphabet soup. It can be easy to fix with enough determination and work. This is in the typical case. In contrast, a few of my friendships have been side swiped by the reality of the Teacher/ECE conflict. It is like an anvil waiting to drop on us. This is a conflict that seems to affect us all. Considering many of the mainstream thoughts on ECE’s mirror those in the Teacher/ ECE struggle.

It seems that there is an invisible line dividing us. We have the ECEs on one side and the teachers on the other. Is this line etched in concrete or sand? Can we wipe it away as if it were never there? Or are we doomed to pick a side? Is this a divide that can never be filled?

On one side of our line we have our ECEs they may be in daycare, schools, after-school programs, and private work. From the outside looking in we are, at times, seen as “over-glorified babysitters”. This is, in fact, a term I have heard before. However, from the inside looking out, we see ourselves as well educated, intelligent, diligent, and hardworking individuals. I can attest to my colleagues late nights and early mornings to create amazing experiences for the groups they serve. Many ECEs fit this ideal, however, there is always an exception to the rule.

On our opposing side of the line we have the teachers. Depending who you speak to the view on teachers can be different, just as it is with ECEs. Some see teachers as the champions of the classroom/ care facility. They are the one responsible for the maintenance, progress, and development of the class. To some others a teacher could be viewed as an individual that has summers off, a great pay, and not a whole lot to complain about. Similar to the ECEs this can be attributed to a few but not all.

I would be ecstatic if all ECEs and teachers saw eye to eye all of the time. That unfortunately is not always the case. We find ourselves at an impasse. Which side do I take? Who is right? Who is wrong? Who should listen to whom? With all of this swirling around in our heads we need to stop and wait. We need to take a moment to think about the time honored method of:

K – KEEP
I – IT
S -SIMPLE
S – STUPID

 

Think if your ideas of an individual are based upon their work or the propaganda that is spread. Revel in creating a relationship with your teaching partners. Keep your relationships honest and open. Learn to base your opinions on facts you know about your immediate team. The last teacher or ECE you worked with may have been great or terrible, don’t compare or hold them to someones abilities.

The lines in the sand are not set in stone. As easily as this absurd dividing line has been drawn, it can be washed away. By keeping it simple and honest I believe we can repair some of the damage and issue that swirl between both factions. We are not countries at war crossing over borders. We are not generals meeting over treaties. We are not warriors and so our classrooms should not be war zones. We are all educators.

AN EVERYDAY EDUCATOR

Now I will throw a question at the masses. Do you feel as if you are on a side of the conflict? Do you even feel there is a conflict or issue? If you do then what do you think should be done? Please feel free to post and share. Is there a line in the sand?

Money Talks

I received a great email from an RECE named Shanna who is working in the public school board in Ontario. She was wondering about the amount of money that other ECEs are spending to keep their programs running and their activities interesting.

I struggle with the amounts of money I spent on my classroom and my aftercare program. I would go out with the intention of getting groceries and end up buying something for class. My art and sensory bins would be intricate and educational. They were great learning experiences. However, my wallet started to feel the hurt. Providing great programming was becoming more and more of a balancing act. I was on a tightrope leaning to far to the left and then too far to the right. Finding my balance has taken me a while. Realizing that great activities and learning experiences did not come from the things that I purchased.

That being said there are times when we require supplies and they are not always readily available.  It can be frustrating to have an idea of what you want to do locked and loaded, only to realize that you would be paying out the wazoo to do it. I have built a stock pile of books, games, and reusable activities some items were free and others I did buy. These are the things I consider investments. Things with a long payoff and minimal investment. These are mostly the things I bring out for my aftercare program. Even though I have this stock of great items, there are times when we need to use resources! What do we do then? Do we splurge and buy or do we find an alternative means. What would you spend on an activity /game? Also, what is your cap for class?

AN EVERYDAY EDUCATOR

My Classroom of Chaos

I am really glad that so many people are taking a look at this site and spreading the word around! I figured it would be good to give a sneak peak into what my classroom is like and what I do all day. I promise I actually do more than blog!

I work as a PM RECE in the public school board. I really enjoy my job. I am amazed at the things we have accomplished in the past few months. There have been some real successes and some real failures! That’s just the turbulence of Full Day Kindergarten.

The area in which we put up what we are interested in and what we are learning.

Providing a space for our little ones to see what they have made and their ideas broadcast is something we have been trying to ensure happens more in our room. At times our ideas are too big for our walls but when we rein it in it can become pretty amazing.

Two boys, one bucket of wooden blocks, and time. Leave them to their own devices and see what happens.

I love taking photos of the kid’s work. It is amazing what they can do when they have the supplies and time. They admitted that the tower fell over multiple times but they creates new ways to stabilize it and make it even better.

The art of our little guys when they were being taught by an artist named Jennifer. She comes in each year and teaching some techniques and what they make is amazing!

We have an artist come in each year to do an art workshop with our classes. She helps the kinders in our room create their own masterpiece. She provides new techniques that they can try out. This was a special treat for our class on thursday (April 23rd).

Bump It UP

Our kids are really ready to write. They have shown us with their dramatic play, literacy centres, and their inventive on the spot work with their peers. Our class was hungry for more. We provided more. This is our ‘Bump It Up’ area. We encourage the youngsters to take their work to another level and figure out what the top level (4) is to them. Once again trying not to single out any child but encourage the differences and reinforce that it is ,in fact, ‘okay’ to do it differently.

The Pet

Our classroom pet “Oscar Marie The Shark’. We have had our pet since about November. He is an extremely resilient Beta fish. Considering all of the things that he sees and the loud noises all around him. He is the embodiment of the phrase “Just Keep Swimming”.

The Everyday ECE

Strike Out

There are strikes looming over all of us at this moment. We are hearing about them from each side! This is the moment of truth. The collective agreements have long since expired and our bargaining teams have been back and forth acting more like Yo-Yo’s than people. Are they simply stringing us along? I understand that for those that work in places without unions, this may not be extremely important for you at this time. Think though how this could impact your job and status right now! A fight for one of us is a fight for all of us.

I realize there are some teacher unions that are on strike and/or are heading towards a strike. There is no denying that the system is flawed. However, there are flaws in every system. No matter what job, what city, or what province there will be someone to find fault with something. There will also be someone to make the errors we find so vexing and troublesome.

There are now and will forever be issues within our system. What we do about it though is a different story. Get educated about what your collective agreements are. I know that for the longest time I left mine on the coffee table. Being involved and aware of our unions would be the next logical step. There are some amazing people that are doing some amazing things in our benefit. Fighting the good fight would probably be easier with a few more helping hands.

If a strike becomes an very real issue for your area then take a moment to see both sides. I often hear “I cannot afford to go on a strike!” Considering we make a mere pittance at the moment I completely agree. Thinking of all of the issues that have come up on my blog and those I have yet to write about, if a strike comes your way and there are serious issues in your job, can you really afford not to?

The Everyday Educator

If you have an opinion on this let me know. Add a comment or send an email : theeverydayece@gmail.com

Wonderwall

‘Wonderwall’ is not just my favorite song it also a very apt description of what this job it to me now.

Mmm I am not finding myself thinking about a person…. I am usually thinking about activities!

I am usually thinking about what I will be doing next and how to emerge upon the observations I made the day before. My job has become a secret affair. I find myself on Pinterest more than I should be. I sneak off to the dollar store to get supplies. I am usually in a separate room from my friends, acquaintances, and family so I can talk to my teammates or fellow ECE friends.

Now I leave it to you friends. Send me an email or tweet about what is on your mind, something you want to share, or something you think I should be touching on!

Email Me: theeverydayece@gmail.com

The Everyday Educator

The Weakest Link

The weakest link in a chain is the strongest;
it can break it

– Stanislaw Jersy Lec

I have always talked a lot. I have heard about it my whole life. When I get nervous I talk even more. I can’t help it. It is the way I am. However, do my few (or many) flaws make me the weakest link in my classroom chain?

HELL NO! I couldn’t imagine myself in any other way. My talking is an asset. I have made it one. I have also worked towards controlling it when it needs to be reined in. This is something we all should be doing. Something we should all be working towards with our own “weak links”. I have worked with many people in many jobs. Did we all have the same attributes? The same strengths? the same weaknesses? We were all different. However, each of our weak points had the potential to implode our fragile classroom balance!

It comes down to the issue of perception. How I view my colleagues, their mannerisms, their teaching styles, and our interactions day to day plays a big part in the strength of our team. We all have weaknesses. If we are not able to embrace them then we are ashamed of them. We are worried about how others may see us. How other may judge us. It can be nerve wracking to think that your abilities as an early childhood educator or even as a teacher will be discredited and seen as fluke or luck rather than skill, talent, or hard-work.

Imagine a classroom in which the teacher, ECE(s), and EA(s) get along professionally and can even be social at times. Imagine that the teacher is not social with the rest of the team. Imagine that one of the ECEs comes in early and stays late and sinks all of his/her money into the programming they create. Imagine the other ECE is does not put out activities or join in on the programming sessions. Finally, imagine that the EA is completely short with the staff, walks around with an angry look, and rarely returns pleasantries.

Take a look at this and think of your own situations. No team or individual is perfect, despite what some people may show. When I think of my team and even just the individuals I cross paths with each day I realize I make judgments quickly. Then I let those ideas of mine affect the way I work with those individuals, talk with them, and react to them. I am guilty of an eye roll or two.

Lets look at the action and our reaction to the “weak links” we think we know:
            Their Actions:                       V.S                          My Perception:

1.  A distant/ quiet individual          –>             A colleague that does not want to socialize (snob)
2.  Does not come up with activities   –>             A lazy colleague (no initiative)
3.  Does everything                        –>            A control freak (does not value your work/ can do better)

The weak think you were thinking of may have their own reasons for why they act the way they do. They may be dealing with something personal, financial, or just may not be used to working in the childcare environment. Stress is a big factor in the way we act. Depending upon the changes in my room you could be dealing with Dr. Jekyll or Mrs. Hyde.

Ultimately, you become the weak link. When we point our fingers at each other we are no better than the children we are trying to teach. They see everything and we can’t really expect them to get along and be accepting when we cannot be. Realize that you may be your team’s weak link. When emotions reach  their boiling point because they have been bottled for so long it is enough to break any sort of relationship you have. Take the time to understand your team. However, if one person really is just a sour puss take the time to understand that and maybe just leave them to their own devices!

The Everyday Educator

Who has the time??

I have hunted around for a blog that could help me navigate the murky waters of my career. A club of fellow educators that would be going through similar experiences and trials. I have found that many of my colleagues and former classmates have been like fellow soldiers along side me in the trenches. In fact, when speaking with all of these individuals I realized that so many of us are in the same position but we are just going around and around in circles with our problems. There wasn’t any clear or decisive path to lead us out of our shared issues.

I realize that sitting down at a computer and typing for hours on end to create the perfect blog post may be off putting to some. However, I have always been told that you will put in the most work and your best work if it is something you actually care about. If there is a void that needs to be filled why not fill it rather than twiddle your thumbs and wait around for someone else to do it. That is what brought me here.

I can understand just wading through our jobs day to day. Putting in our time, heading home for the night, and then pressing repeat in the morning. We are not robots. We are not assistants. We are not bathroom monitors! We are Early Childhood Educators and we sit on the brink of a crucial and exciting time. With the shift to Full Day Kindergarten in full swing we are vital, necessary, and needed. What we bring to the table is what has been missing for years.  I know that with strong educators providing each other support there is nothing we can’t accomplish.

Some have said they can’t afford to waste the time,
I believe I can’t afford not to.
–  An Everyday Educator

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