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

Are you Secure?

Looking at the situation in the DDSB (Durham District School Board) I am beginning to worry about job security. For those unfamiliar with the problems in Durham it is apparent that many ECEs will be losing their jobs come September. Whether or not their jobs have hit a redundancy (the class sizes are under 16 children, thus no ECE is required) or they have gotten rid of a few classes the fact remains the same that many people are currently in their last year with that board. This is a scary thought. I go to work each day and try my best at what I do best.

If you feel that this is one of those situations in which you will not be effected by their lost jobs, think again. This gives momentum to the idea that one classroom can be stocked to the brim (30 students and sometimes  more) while another has 16 or less children and is not in need of an RECE. Thus, two paychecks have been eliminated and the government has saved some more money. We have deluded ourselves to the mentality that the children are the future… It seems to most others (especially the Government of Ontario) that it is truly money that make our world go ’round.

There is a petition in the works on Change.org. The link is long but brings you right to the page.
https://www.change.org/p/minister-of-education-liz-sandals-assistant-deputy-minister-early-learning-division-jim-grieves-ensure-every-child-has-full-time-access-to-an-early-childhood-educator-in-ontario-schools?recruiter=22987354&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_term=mob-xs-share_petition-reason_msg

I have signed this petition and I hope many of you do the same. I would rather say that I did something than sit back and do nothing. If it can happen in Durham can it not happen elsewhere?  We are now caught in a game of numbers. Playing around with the class sizes means we can play around with how many ECEs have jobs or not. Take a moment to think as well. Your seniority plays no role in whether or not you keep your job or not. The Durham employees lost their positions in a lot pull. Essentially a group of names is pulled (regardless or seniority or experience) and those are the few unlucky individuals.

What would you do if this happened in your board? Leave a comment below or email: theeverydayece@gmail.com

When you sign the petition you are able to leave a message. This was mine:
I am a dedicated Registered Early Childhood Educator. I work in a classroom in a wonderful collaboration with my teacher and fellow RECE partner. I have been in trenches of our FDK program. I have both defended the rights of my fellow RECEs and been defended as well. We should not have to bend over backwards to prove our worth. The proof is in the classrooms where we are present and the ones that we are not. We are vital, we are necessary and you cannot tiptoe back on your educational obligations now. Realize we are here to stay. If you try to take us down then prepare for a fight.

AN EVERYDAY EDUCATOR

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

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

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

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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