Employer Newsletter – Summer 2021

2. Statement honouring the lives lost at the Kamloops Indian Residential School

3. Kristine Parsons RECE elected Council Chair​

4. Four ways to support diversity and inclusion learning

Hired a recent Early Childhood Education graduate? Here’s what you need to know to support new RECEs.

Early childhood education is a care and relationship-based practice. To support the well-being and holistic development of children, RECEs need theoretical knowledge about child development, curriculum and pedagogy, for example, and the skills to apply that knowledge in practice. That’s why practicum placements are a key component of all post-secondary ECE programs – it allows students to gain experience applying their knowledge and developing their professional judgement in the dynamic and complex realities of actual practice.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique conditions to those in post-secondary ECE programs. While opportunities for in-person practicum placements may have been limited, post-secondary institutions worked creatively to implement alternative strategies for students to meet requirements to graduate, which included:

• changing the timing, nature or duration of practicum placements, and
• using videos, case studies, reflection assignments or research projects.

The pandemic affected each student’s practicum experience differently. To support their transition into practice, it will be important to find out their unique strengths and areas of practice they would like develop further.

Strength-based practice

Post-secondary institutions identified key strengths of their newest graduates – despite their fewer in-practice hours – including:

• Knowledge and understanding of health and safety protocols;
• Adapting their practice to suit the needs of the learning environment, such as moving from in-person to virtual environments and engaging with others in new ways. Students – and now, graduates – have demonstrated their ability to be flexible and resilient; and
• Use of technology (strong digital literacy) and communication skills.

They’re also skilled in observing children, pedagogical documentation and critical reflection on practice approaches. These strengths provide a foundation on which to continue building their confidence as they transition into their new career. Examine how you can leverage these strengths, while encouraging mentorship among staff, to support new RECEs in further developing these and other skills.

How the College is supporting entry to practice for new RECEs

In March 2021, we reached out to ECE students and provided tips on successfully transitioning to practice as a professional. We shared the following steps with students (also found in our story on how more experienced RECEs can support new RECEs), many of which can be encouraged or supported by their experienced colleagues:

• Review the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.
• Engage in self-reflection: What are your strengths and skills in practice?
• Identify areas of further development: Which areas of practice have you had less experience? What areas of practice do you want to develop further?
• Be open with employers about your strengths and experiences during your post-secondary studies: This information will help you and your employer determine which supports may be helpful in your practice.
• Review resources: The College regularly develops resources to support RECEs in their practice.
• Find an RECE practice companion or mentor.
• Participate in a community of practice, such as those offered by professional associations in Ontario (AECEO / AFÉSEO), with colleagues or other RECE communities.
• Research, seek out and engage in professional learning opportunities such as webinars, podcasts or readings (for example, the College’s blog, College Talk).

We’ll continue encouraging RECEs to communicate and collaborate – which are fundamental to successful practice – and developing resources that support RECEs in their practice.

If you have questions about how you can support a new RECE, or have ideas for resources that can help support their practice excellence, let’s hear from you! Send us an email at practice@college-ece.ca.

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Kristine Parsons RECE elected Council Chair​

On June 16, the Council of the College of Early Childhood Educators elected Kristine Parsons RECE as its Chair. She succeeds Stacey Lepine RECE, who was elected as Chair in June 2019 and has now completed her term on Council.

Kristine was elected to Council (District 6 – Central West Region) in 2017. She has served in many roles on Council, including as a member of the College’s Executive Committee since June 2019 and as Chair of the Discipline and Fitness to Practice Committees in 2020-21.

“I believe in a consensus-based decision making model and will continue to guide the work of the College in key initiatives to help achieve our strategic plan. This includes playing an active role in our work on anti-racism, sexual abuse prevention, and in responding to COVID-19 impacts on the profession and the 2021 cohort of graduates.”

Kristine has worked at RisingOaks Early Learning in Kitchener for more than 30 years. Today, as their Director of Operations, she leads human resource practices and objectives to provide an employee-oriented, high-performance culture.

She holds a diploma in Early Childhood Education and a certificate in Human Resources. She’s served as a Canadian Delegate at the World Forum on Early Care and Education, and participates in child care initiatives in the Kitchener-Waterloo region.

The Council also elected to its Executive Committee:

• Vice Chair: Laura Urso RECE
• CeCil Kim RECE
• Teresa Sulowski RECE
• Pamela Carkner
• Gen Breton

To read Council members’ biographies, visit our Council page.

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Four ways to support diversity and inclusion learning

RECEs are lifelong learners and are always engaged in Continous Professional Learning. Some may have chosen learning objectives related to equity, diversity and inclusion, and how they relate to early learning. As part of our commitment to anti-racism, here’s how you can support your staff whose learning goals centre around diversity, inclusion, anti-racism and anti-bias.

1. Encourage RECEs to reflect always on beliefs and biases

To foster inclusive learning environments, Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs) need to reflect always on their beliefs and biases. Our Practice Guideline on Diversity and Culture can support them in this self-reflection, and provides examples of how their beliefs and biases influence their practice decisions and actions. Information, strategies and scenarios are presented to support critical reflection on creating welcoming and supportive environments.

2. Communicate and collaborate

The guideline prompts team discussions around what inclusive learning environments look like and ways to build relationships and communicate across differences.

Remind staff that College resources like case studies and scenarios are available to support individual learning. If staff are interested in learning together, consider using these case studies and scenarios to prompt team discussions.

For an upcoming team meeting, consider reviewing one of the Pause and Reflect sections or a scenario and its reflection questions. Reflection and dialogue can enhance learning.

3. Ask for input when reviewing inclusion and equity in your policies and processes

All RECEs are leaders – no matter their position or title. By inviting them to review your organization’s policies and processes, they have the opportunity to provide valuable input. This feedback is based on their knowledge of, and relationships with, the children and families whom they serve.

4. Support their continuous learning

We’ve developed resources to support RECEs in the development of their CPL goals. Here are some resources they can use to learn more about building equitable and inclusive learning environments and fostering a culturally responsive practice approach:

Practice Guidelines

• Supporting Positive Interactions with Children
• Pedagogical Practice
• Inclusion of Children with Disabilities
• Diversity and Culture

Blog articles

• Elevating Voices: Natalie shares an open letter
• Anti-racism as part of your Continuous Professional Learning
• Does learning about anti-Black racism count as a professional learning activity? Absolutely!

If you have questions, comments or ideas for resources to support employers and RECEs in building and fostering inclusive learning environments, email us at practice@college-ece.ca.

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