So Long, Farewell, Auf wiedersehen

Our school year is drawing to an end. For some of us it means looking for employment for the summer (a wonderful new beginning) and for others it will mean saying goodbye to teams we have worked with for the past year or longer. To a few people working with a new team, in a new room, or even a new school, can be one of the most terrifying concepts. We are creatures of habit after all.

For those of us facing a new environment, where are you moving to? Is it a new classroom? A new teaching team? A new school? Or are you transitioning to a new job? Are you facing some changes this year? Up until about two weeks, the end of May, I was in the dark about what was to come.

If you are counting down your days and feel like a giant cloud is looming over your head then you have come to the right place. Take a seat, grab a drink and get comfy because we are going to get through this funk!

1. You love your team
You have worked hard to create a team sent down by the Gods themselves. Zeus christened your arranged teaching marriage himself! You and your team work together seamlessly. It is as if you have been working together for years. These magical relationships do exist. They may not come around often but they are a possibility.If you are being ripped from the loving arms of those you know and trust, then it is understandable that you are facing a total breakdown. So what do you do?

Revel my friends for the end is nigh. You will have to face the fact that your dream team will in fact be in ending. If you are spending your time too worried about the end of the month or what is to come then you will miss the time that you have left. I cannot attest to how personal some peoples teaching relationships are. Some work together well and others have developed real and genuine friendships that extend outside of work. Despite the depth the relationship does not end once the contract does.

Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.
– Dr. Seuss

2. New Team
Some teams seem to have been handpicked by God while others feel like their team was constructed by Satan. If you were one of the unlucky few to be stuck in an unholy union then embrace the changes to come as what they are. You are probably getting a much deserved break. It has been a long. You may have been met with many challenges either with planning, your teacher, your team, or maybe even simply the children you received. Do not let the experience jade you. If you do then you may pass that on. It is fair to be upset about the hand you were dealt but don’t carry it with you.
The team you get next year will probably easier to work with. Can it get any worse? However, If you drag your feet around, have an attitude, or become dismissive then those you work with next year may begin to get an impression of you. It may not be positive so don’t break what hasn’t even begun yet!

Gon’ brush your shoulders off
Jay-Z

3. Changing your job
If you have been lucky enough to find a new job then CONGRATULATIONS. Be proud of yourself and the changes you are making. Yes, leaving behind a career or job you love can be trying but there is a reason you are doing it. Financial stability, stress, status, work load, or simply better hours can all be reasons to change. If you have made the decision to leave then those you work with should hopefully be supportive. If not then kiss the meanies goodbye and be thankful you are getting the heck out.

We have a problem. ‘Congratulations.’ But it’s a tough problem. ‘Then double congratulations.’
W. Clement Stone

I have only listed a few reasons for the changes you may be facing this year, be open to the changes that are coming. Be grateful you had an experience that could make you feel such loss. If it was a terrible team up then you should be jumping for joy right now! Don’t get cynical about the future be grateful your escaping the past. Do not get trapped in your feelings. Ensure that whatever changes come you are ready to face them and be all in!

If you have any comments about what changes your expecting add them below and find us on Faceboook!

AN EVERYDAY EDUCATOR

No matter where you are be all there all of the time. Do not let a bad experience hold you back!

Wrestling with Responsibility

The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.
– Denis Waitley

The weight of responsibility is not something to bear alone. This is why we work in teams throughout the ECE world of work. Whether or not we are in classrooms. day care, or just before or aftercare we work in collaboration with others. It appears at time that we are forgetting that. This is apparent on both sides of the “dividing line”.

Teamwork makes the dream work. That is the creed I live and work by. I do my best to ensure that all people are on the same page. If I share information with my RECE in the classroom then I will also inform our fellow teacher. I expect this to be vice versa as well. However, as I have always known, you cannot control the actions of others. I do what I can and implore you to do the same. We can neither control those we work with nor force them to have teamwork on the mind all the time.

While looking through some of the documents for FDK (Full-Day Kindergarten) I realized that the responsibilities of the Early Learning Team is only ONE PAGE LONG.  That page only contains a section which outlines the responsibilities of the RECE(s) in the classroom. There are many issues I have with this (besides the length and how it only scratches the surface of our occupation) but one of my main ones is how it outlines the teacher as being solely “responsible for student learning, and effective instruction […]” (Role of Early Learning Team, Government of Ontario,. PDF). This information is also on the Government of Ontario’s website under FDK. I am sure there are many nuggets of demeaning gold to be found. The reason this particular excerpt gets to be me is because many RECEs (all of us really) have a stake in the learning and success of our students. This responsibility does not fall solely to the teachers.

The ambiguous wording in documents such as these is what can cause a divide. It seems as if we are dealing with some blurred lines. This simple sentence makes me feel like I am governed and ruled over. Despite what wonderful ideas we create, the emergent curriculum we painstakingly put together, or the amazing amount of time we actually spend with our classes it is the teacher’s job to ensure they learn.

• Maybe this means my centers need to be cut.
• Maybe this means I should not teach a math lesson (that’s a teacher’s job).
• Maybe if a child asks for assistance with spelling I should ALWAYS send them to the teacher.
• Maybe I should not talk to parents of guardians about school day issues (only EDP).

I think we could kill ourselves with ‘maybes’. There are too many things to second guess and wonder about. I know that on paper we don’t seem to do much. The reality is that we do too much at times and then on the other hand we get the rug pulled out from under us when we try to branch out. If we stick literally to the three bullet points for what we are solely responsible for all day then I would have to agree that we would be nothing but over-glorified baby sitters. Are you wrestling with your responsibilities in your class? Let us know! Leave a comment or send us an email at: theeverydayece@gmail.com

I wonder how long it took to write this one page document?

Click to access Role%20of%20ECE%20and%20Teacher.pdf

Luckily for a more inclusive and positive view there are some articles that support us, see our value, and realize that we both (teacher and ECE) need to be equals. This is ‘The New Teaching Team’ and TVO Parents explains it well.
http://tvoparents.tvo.org/article/new-teaching-team-full-day-kindergarten

No single drop of water thinks it is responsible for the flood.

AN EVERYDAY EDUCATOR

#RealTalk

Hash tags rule our social media world. We constantly need to know what is trending with the rest of the world. We thrive on what is popular, who is post-op, and who holds the most prestige for that day. In this social world it is amazing how anti- social we have become. We attempt to ‘break the internet’ with images of nude celebrities and the speculation of who may switch their genders. I challenge us to #BreakTheInternet with #RealTalk.

Some may be wondering what constitutes ‘real talk’. It is a simple term that embodies when we all cut the bull^%#$ (there are four more letters but this isn’t that  kind of a blog). With the ability to send instant messages, emails, texts, or tweets it is as if we have become twits. The art of conversation is lost on us.

Anyone that has had a conversation with me know that I love to talk. I have also been blessed with the the gift of being excruciatingly blunt. This has bestowed me with the great ability to say it as it is. For some this method is too direct but for others it makes us a very productive team. We are able to be honest, open, and give real opinions rather than just compliments. There is so much more to be said for the person that is able to bring forth an intelligent, open, and honest opinion than those that only pay compliments. The fear of confrontation can be great for some. The fear of losing your voice in a sea of complacent peoples complements is not great enough.

By no means is this post saying that we must all remove our carefully crafted filters and unleash a torrent of blunt and rude responses. I implore you not to do this unless you want a visit to your HR department. Your responses can be constructive and real without being to direct or to sheepish. A lot more respect is earned by a person that can hold true to their convictions and ideals than those who are complacently please.  Do you feel that your workplace could benefit from some real talk?

AN EVERYDAY EDUCATOR

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?

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