Zero

A zero is a double edged sword. To most a zero is nothing or represents the lack of something. However, without the zero we would not be able to create the numbers and representations we need every day. Education cannot climb the scale from 1 to 100; if there aren’t any zeros our classes are stuck at at the bottom. 1.

It has become apparent at this point and time that we are the 0. Mighty and necessary but often forgotten, overlooked, and undervalued. Considering the teacher’s union has had 20+ days to bargain and we have had 3, it is easy to see where we land on the scale. For those in the board the idea of facing another year without a contract, wage increases, or even permanent work is too much to bear. Spending another year in limbo is not an option. Spending another year with a contract that exploits our efforts is not an option.

It may seem like the plight of those facing a strike in the board does not impact those who are not in the thick of it. As a unit of educators with similar experiences and expectations when one of our groups is being undermined then we all are. If the group of educators in the school board continue to be frozen out and swept under the rug then soon that is the standard for everyone else.

At this very moment with underappreciated and underfunded educators on the brink of another year are preparing themselves for a new crop of children. Pouring their own funds, time and effort into the program that does not give them what they need in return. A system that is failing its educators should be failing its children but the educators in between are ensuring this does not happen. It’s up to the zeros to bring the system from 0 to 100.

If a strike does come this September and the support staff are out of the schools and in the streets then will class still go on. Without the support of the RECEs and EAs would our educational partners be able to “hold down the fort” for a few weeks. If educators are not important and if we really are replaceable and unnecessary then the idea of a strike should not grip our teachers and parents with such worry and fear.

Despite the work we put in it is clear that there is not much respect for us. The idea of moving RECEs to older classrooms (1-6) to offer support in place of EAs, to remain wage frozen (even though this is over far more than money), the lack of planning time, and the ever increasing amount of children in before and after school programs have led us to the battle we face.  We are more than what we are perceived to be. We are more capable and with more experience than a 1 or 2 year diploma could capture.

As a zero I know my class could not make it from 1 to 10. Without my mirror RECE we could not make it from 10 to 100. I know my teacher would not be able to accomplish our envisioned goals for the year if she was in fact just a 1. One on its own cannot make it to one hundred it needs a boost. Luckily, there are two RECEs in our class that work tirelessly in partnership with our one teacher to lift our class to 100.

Always remember the impact you have in your environment. That you as an educator are more than what you are paid or the indiscretions you suffer. We are the zero and we are more necessary than others know.

AN EVERYDAY EDUCATOR

Connection Disconnected…

Can we function without the use of our technology? Or are we now bonded for life?

As you embark on your new position in the world of education there will be a lot of different ideas that span across years and years of teaching. One of my most enjoyed debates is in regards to the use of tech in the classroom. 

I am huge supporter of paving your own way in this educational world. I believe that our best teaching strategies, ideas, and inspirations stem from an understanding of current trends, what you know, and how children learn. You can be very open minded but do not let someone else’s ideology taint yours. 

We live in a very technological era. We have to face that fact. Even when I was growing up I spent time watching educational television and now I am watching webcasts on education and blogging about it. I cannot even imagine what is to come next. Children are getting iPhones and tablets for their 6th birthdays now. To not be connected to the world is viewed as worse than death nowadays. 

So do we choose to disconnect the classroom or link up and use it to our advantage?

One side of this shows that an increase in the use of technology can cause a decrease in the social skills we are trying so hard to promote. A classroom governed by plugs, wires, and the all-knowing internet. A classroom of children barely able to spell but able to navigate webpages and the internet. The internet and webpages carry so much information. There are videos and games that can be added to any lesson at the press of a button. When doing a unit on pollution, countries, or space, an educator can find lesson plans, ideas, games, stories, games, and child created videos and explanations. This is a time where teaching is easier. Why stay up and recreate the wheel when someone has already posted all the steps. It is as if we have reached the Golden Age of Education. It could be argued that it can promote a ‘lazy teacher’ methodology. One in which the computer is now the teacher and we document the learning… or don’t document at all. When the computer becomes the teacher do we not become obsolete? I am guilty of letting my phone take over my time. It is one of the first things I find in the morning and very last thing in my hands at night.

I fear the day that technology will surpass our need for human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.
-Albert Einstein

The other side of this debate brings out valid points in regards to how many of the adults today were brought up and that many of us received quality care and support. I believe my generation grew up well. My home did not have a computer until I was about 12 years old. I remember biking to the library, exploring the woods behind my house, sleepovers, girl guides and never once did I need to take a selfie or post these experiences for the world to see. Do children really need all this technology in their school day? Do we need to bring in iPads and Chromebooks for toddlers in daycare programs? For years, decades, and centuries children have been reared, taught, disciplined, and had experiences based in the real world. Their experiences have helped to shape the world as we know it today. Yet, we are shifting to a world where our self-worth is measured in friends or followers and our experiences are for Instagram and the world.

Both sides of this debate could argue for days and nights. However, in more classrooms and daycares we are getting tech tubs and bins of technology to incorporate into our classrooms. Whether or not we dislike the hold technology has on us it is a reality. What can be done is to always keep in mind the idea of moderation. As good as our teaching is we can embrace new things and methods. As wonderful as technology is we can’t let it take over and replace those awe inspiring teachable moments.

Do you believe technology has a hold on your classroom?
Do you welcome the idea of new websites and personal devices?
Do you have concerns about socialization?

If you are on either side of this issue and wish to leave a comment please do! An open dialogue is always appreciated here. You can always send an email to theeverydayece@gmail.com

AN EVERYDAY EDUCATOR

to fear or embrace the technology we have created.

A System of Support

I spend a lot of time writing about the plight of the Early Childhood Educator. One of the main rules of writing is “to write what you know”.  One aspect I have lacked on is the plight of the Educational Assistant.

Full disclosure, prior to this blog and my even my Early Childhood positions, I was (and still am) a special needs worker. I have worked with individuals on the Autism Spectrum, clients with brain injuries, in a group home, and many other places.  Each place I worked has had its challenges but I did my best every day.

No school, daycare, preschool, aftercare, nor before care has not served a child with special needs or will in the coming years. Considering the increase in our ability to identify a special need, get a team together, and create a plan one would think all would be ‘hunky dory’. The concept is wonderful on paper but in practice it fails not only the staff but the students is claims to serve.

I feel very strongly about this for both sides. Educational Assistants and Early Childhood Educators are trapped in a frustrating and ultimately dangerous loop. We cannot just throw out a ton of diagnoses and not provide the funding and staffing to match. If one increases then the other surely needs to.

I can attest to the situations we have dealt with this year in our classrooms and those of a few of my peers. For one situation there was a child that required constant assistance. Someone needed to be there to guide at all times. If not there would be serious behaviors that could (and often did) cause injury to staff or students. For a few months only one EA was present. This EA had to split her time among many students. For the children that required more assistance the duty fell to the educators until the gap was filled. This is a child that can be violent, sweet, caring, angry, a flight risk, and destroy a classroom in a matter of minutes. By the end of the year we had many burnt out educators, two extremely frustrated educational assistants, and one new emergency EA. It took almost a full year to get some support. There are a million and one stories just like this one.

I don’t think I can do it anymore. I am tired of not getting help when I need it.
– A very exhausted EA

This issue is even more pressing at this moment as the province is facing severe budget cuts and it is affecting the most vulnerable in our school sectors. The amounts are not small my friends and I can only see things getting worse in the coming year. There is an article from the Sun newspaper that outlines the cuts in the budget across Ontario.

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/06/27/special-ed-funding-cuts-hurting-kids-across-the-province?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=recommend-button&utm_campaign=Special+ed+funding+cuts+hurting+kids+across+the+province

If you have had some interesting experiences as an RECE or EA this year regarding special needs, the support you have received, or any tidbits of advice please post them in the comment below! You can also email at anytime to theeverydayece@gmail.com

AN EVERYDAY EDUCATOR

A Beautiful Cacophony

Each year our school does an arts exhibition. The halls are covered with art pieces made by the children. It is a gallery. Each class puts on their best work. Some of our classes went all out. They created special arts activities and displays for it. I have to admit that we did as well. We created quite a bit though. We put out a showcase of things we were already working on. This week was more of a cacophony to me than any other. It was sudden, harsh, and (at times) brutal changes and amounts of work that  occurred all week. It seemed to be a lot of starts and stops. The moment that brought it all together was when one child came back for the arts night with her family (she made me realized why I put in all the work that I do). She breezed past each classroom and each exhibit until she reached our room. She smiled and said,

Ms. Keitha, I really want to show my family our Monet paintings and all our other stuff. I really want them to see what we made!

-A Kindergartner

Blending inquiries is one of the best things in full day kindergarten. We were doing dinosaurs and then got wrapped up in the ways of the world. Thus, the Earthasaurus was born!

Each one of the pieces we put up was made by one of our kinders. It was an earth day activity entitled, “To Help the Earth I Can…” They drew methods to help the world with their pet dinosaurs. It ranged from lemonade stands to donating hair to charity.

 

We couldn’t miss a moment to promote the wonderfulness of full-day kindergarten. It has its flaws just like anything else but when you really find a model that you believe in why not imbue others with the same passion.

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We had a wonderful artist come in and teach watercolors to the class. They created amazing pieces. It really boosted their confidence in their own abilities. We strung them up and put them on the wall outside of our classroom. It was great to see our classroom alight with the idea of being ‘real artists’.

 

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I love creating new art experiences for the children in our class. Showing them some of the great artists of the world  and giving them the opportunity to create in that style and experiment with it.   This is what we made in the style of Monet. Note that each one is different and was encouraged to do so. One of my favorites was the children who created bugs to accompany their water lilies.

Embedding an early love and respect of art in our class.

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A Onceler house surrounded by a sea of Truffula Trees

A forest of truffula trees from Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax. The children created a colorful sea of tissue paper and paper straws.  I made the Onceler house last year with our class and my after care group. It has not become one of my most treasured resources.

This is the craziness and triumphs that have occurred this week. Send us your at theeverydayece@gmail.com

 

AN EVERYDAY EDUCATOR

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The Price of Production

Considering that tax time is drawing to a close and many individuals are in super saving mode it seems like the most apt time to bring up everyone’s least favorite subject! Money. We all need to realize that our finances aren’t some mythical beast we need to keep under wraps.

Money makes our world go ’round. I realize that many of us do not make enough to make even a drop in the ocean. This is the reality of it. There is no use hiding it. EAs and ECEs alike do not get paid enough for the level of work we are expected to produce. I will begin with EAs. Despite our differences in job description we are both lumped together; the bottom of the totem pole. For many EAs that I know and many that have sent emails to this blog, it is clear that there are issues. Too many children for one EA to handle, too many needs in one school (resulting in flitting around), not enough support during crisis. There are layers of issues that affect an EAs ability to do their job to the best of their abilities. In a perfect world the needs in a classroom would be assessed and then modifications would be made. The EA dealing with the issues would not be shuttled around throughout the day to different classrooms. How can a positive change occur in the children we serve if we aren’t able to be there to help? The safety of our classrooms and the future learning of so many is something I doubt we can put a price on.

Similar things can be said about ECEs. There are many responsibilities we take on and yet it is brushed aside. There is a lot of issue with planning/prep as well as contact time. I know in my classroom my ECE partner and I have more contact time with our class. The imbalance of duties, preps, non-contact time, and even time away for learning is immense. I realize the issues myself when I think about the amount of time, effort, and work I put into my own room. I don’t do much at home but I work like mad when I am at school. It would in fact be much simpler to not do half of what I do now. If I stuck with doing the amount of work I could feasibly get done while at work… Well there would be a lot less teaching and a lot more babysitting.

We are essential to our places of work. We make a difference each and everyday. It has been said that with ECEs we increase the value of the children we educate.  Through our tutelage, expertise, and  modifications, as both ECEs and EAs, we  augment the educational system in such a way that success is in the grasp of all of our students. Is this something we can really put a price on?

 

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?

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

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

Welcome to The Everyday ECE