My Living Philosophy

and 

Reflective Practice

I believe my living philosophy and my reflective practice have a  partnership relationship with my professional education, development and growth. Allowing me to continuous stay engage in the love of supporting children and their families. Following my strengths to believe, envision, educate, and wonder while being positive, flexible, passion, and committed to early childhood care, I am in an environment I can successfully thrive  in to then successfully build strong connections and relationships with my staff, children, and families!

I believe all children are unique, capable and full of potential. A child’s development begins the day they enter into our world and flourishes within the first 5 years of their life. Through this magical time of learning a child will develop social skills, cognitive skills, thinking skills, decision making skills, ability to concentrate and behaviour, and develop their own personality. These skills and traits will continue to be lifelong lessons for the child.  Along with shaping a life style of good health, well-being, and growth this will support the child in school, the work force and with their families and communities.

 

Personal beliefs and values are important: roots, family, culture, what you choose to do for yourself, skills, hopes, dreams, and who and what is important to a child, parent, and educator.  

 

My vision for working with children is… to provide a fun, inspirational, educational and developmentally appropriated learning opportunities for children to individual grow. Teaching and learning side by side to give and take, to wonder, to think, to explore, and reflect together as we connect and build relationships.

– To listen, observe, and focus on the children’s learning. To “have a strong interest in creating early learning places for play that support diverse learning styles among the children, as well linguistic and cultural support” (Dietze, B. & Kashin, D. 2016, p. 242). Create positive connects with social, emotional, physical, spiritual, well-being, and intellectual connections.

I believe the child is capable and has potential to build on their skills with the support of Zone of proximal development. –Vygotsky (ZPD) “the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem-solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem-solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers” And through scaffolding experience. – Jerome Bruner – “adults create a support structure to help children build new ideas upon their prior knowledge (Dietze, B. & Kashin, D. 2016, p. 63). They both emphasized that learning takes place in a social construct and that other people can help children develop skills through the process of scaffolding.

I wish for my visions for working with children not to remain static or stagnant therefore I will reflect, revisit, rethink, respond, and redefine my professional practice, values, beliefs, ethical practice, programs and philosophy. This will allow opportunities to become visible to help me to understand more about myself, my children, and my centre. Supporting the whole child through collaboration with staff members, family, and community staff members is a strong vision to support the child and family to be successful in learning.

Through the practice of pedagogical documentation children’s thinking becomes visible. It validates the work done by teaching and learning. A child gets excited when seeing their own work and gives them a chance to reflect on their accomplishments, and gives the child a voice. As an educator it helps me to grow intellectually. When children and families are able to see the centres creations, artifacts, photos, notes, and portfolios displayed it brings a sense of communication, involvement, understanding, and value to everyone connected to the documentation. The documentation can also bring inspiration to others and a moment of wonder by others (S. Stacey, 2018, Chapter 6).

“Carter and Curtis (2010) suggested that when we have a vision on early childhood programs as places for children to thrive and as learning communities for adults and children, that vision influences the organizational culture. Early learning professionals grow in environments that challenge them and cause them to think, cultivate new ideas, provoke new ways of thinking, and break through barriers that restrict children’s options for learning” (Dietze, B. & Kashin, D. 2016, p. 289).

 

In three years, I see my greatest strengths with children to be… my continuously learning, reflecting, to be curious, and allowing my professional landscape to grow and change with the times. To always be open to change.

– I believe it is important to be connected with my centre, community, country and I also the world to stay in tune with other’s perspectives in regards to different types of curriculum, framework, programs, models, approaches, theories, philosophies and child care advocacy. Taking an interest around me nationally and globally allows for future improvement in my own learning. Just as important is the past perspectives which formed the foundation of the early learning beliefs and are still present in curriculum, framework, programs, models, approaches, theories, philosophies,  licensing regulations, code of ethics, and child care advocacy today.

As we know it is a continuum of development for children and as an educator it is a “cycle of professional practice” (Dietze, B. & Kashin, D. 2016, p. 7). Both have a progression in development while learning new skills, growth, overcoming challenges and evolving into long life learning.

 

I envision the early learning environment as… safe, warm, open, and a place of trust.

– A place of “beauty”, indoor and outdoor, effective play spaces, resources, fluid and structured materials, natural light and cozy textures and furniture.

Our centre has its own “local identity, stamped into our early learning environment with connections to our local history context, diversity of cultures, and community” (Atkinson. K, 2020).

Giving a child – the ultimate player, an environment that focuses on play and is consistent, enriched and stimulating and that encourage creativity, exploration, experience, provocation, interaction, problem solving, scaffolding,  collaboration, negotiation, co responsibility, interpersonal, intrapersonal, laughter, humour, and wonderment opportunities and skills,  gives a child optimal brain development.

I believe and the Canadian Association for Young Children (CAYC) believes the following about play for young children:

Play is natural

Play is essential for children

Play is fun, exciting, adventurous, and open ended

Play is creative and spontaneous

Play is magical and complex

Play is rewarding and stimulating

Play is non-judgmental

Play is directed by the children

Play is full of choices and decision making opportunities

Play is posing questions and hypothesizing

Play is focused on the process and not on the product

(Dietze. B., & Kashin. D. 2019. p. 32).

 

“Together the educator, the child, and the environment, engage in play base learning”

J.P.B

 

I see children as… precious gifts, unique, capable, curious, strong, and full of potential.

– Through different program models I see children as learners, teachers, classmates, explores, researchers, creative, critical thinkers, full of empathy, having a pace of their own, and most valuable resource in their community.

I see a child in a playful bubble in the center of all circles (Dietze, B. & Kashin, D. 2016, p. 121) surrounded by bubbles with connections to their family, teachers, other children, community, culture and their own individual interests. As their bubbles meet together the magic of learning begins.

“Children are A Pedagogy of Hope”

Mary Gordon.

 

I view children’s families to be… the child’s first teacher, the foundation of their culture beliefs, a family tree of people to meet, and connections to the child’s world around them.

– Families along with their child and the educator, we are in a partnership with the child’s learning. We are a “triad of players” (Dietze. B., & Kashin. D. 2016. Figure 2.1, p. 27). Engaging the family to be involved in my centre will give them an insight to the child’s development and accomplishments. Fostering trust, connection and relationships, celebrating, and “respecting everyone’s social and emotional self we are building our own community within my centre” (Dietze. B., & Kashin. D. 2016. p. 68).

In my centre, listening to the families needs, offering support, having recourses on hand to pass along, being prepared with strategies are comfortable tools to have for my families. Clear communication with one another will create a positive atmosphere, will build feedback, develop input and questions, and having respect allows us to disagree to agree. We all have a voice.

 

I believe cultural diversity will… be an ongoing learning experience as it presents itself and I hope it is always seen and respected.

– As an educator, being open and flexible to other’s – families different perspectives and requirements  in regards to their values, beliefs, traditions, national origin, families in transition, racial experience, linguistic experience, religious background, socio-economic status, age, gender, and sexual orientation is part of my responsibilities as an educator. It is important to welcome and provide a sense of belong to all children and families with in my centre (Dietze. B., & Kashin. D. 2016. p. 53-56).

 

I envision my colleagues as… partners, a team, supportive, and a critical friend to listen to.

– Together we will continue to mentor one another, collaborate, assess learning and development, and reflective on our centres programs, materials and environment.

Through “roles and responsibilities of early learning professionals in programming we will revision our vision, enable children to recognize knowledge and learning, crate inclusive programming, engage in collaboration, follow regulations, and engage in observation and documentation” ((Dietze. B., & Kashin. D. 2016. Figure 10.5, pg 240).

 

I believe scenario’s from our centre… inspire us all, educator, staff, child, family to reflect, revisit, rethink, respond, and redefine our day to day practice, values, beliefs, ethical practice, programs and philosophy.

 

– I look forward to continuing my professional ECE education journey by taking a “deeper learning”, interest level of the commitment and responsivities involved in being an early childhood educator, understanding different philosophies and learning about my own, I believe this will allow me to explore, reflect, question, along with adding growth and strength to my own beliefs, values, and the many roles I engage in. Continuously learning gains knowledge and skills I can then offer to my children, their families, my co-workers, our community, province and country while developing my own professional landscape.

 

– When I entered the early childhood field, 2007, with my own home child care setting, I had no idea how rewarding this journey would be with children and their families. My journey continued when I made a change to work at Linda’s After School Care here in the valley, 2008 and present, and still I am rewarded by the interaction, connection, relationships and sprit of the early childhood field.  As the years have ticked by I gained more knowledge, skills, education, experience many inquiries and situations, and endlessly explored with my centres community. I believe and know I am in the right professional and learning environment for me!

 

“If we experiences life through the eyes of a child, everything would be magical and extraordinary. Let our curiosity, adventure and wonder of life never end”.

Akiane Kramarik

 

 

 

References 

A z quotes. Kramarik, A. Retrieved from: https://www.azquotes.com/quote

 

Dietze, B., & Kashin, D. (2016). Empowering Pedagogy for Early childhood Education. Toronto, Ontario, Person Education Canada Inc.

 

Dietze, B., & Kashin, D. (2096). Playing and Learning in Early Childhood Education. Second edition. North York, Ontario, Pearson Education Canada Inc.

 

ECEBC, The Early Childhood Educator: The Journal of Early Childhood Educators of British Columbia Winter 2020, Vol.35, No.1. Atkinson, K. Dropping In: Reflecting on Early Years Settings. Retrieved from: http://www.ecebc.ca/

 

Roots of Empathy. Gordon. M. Retrieved from: https://rootsofempathy.org

 

Stacey, S. (2018). Emergent Curriculum in Early Childhood Settings. Second edition.   St. Paul, Minnesota, Redleaf Press.