#Kinderchat, glue, glitter, gogurt, bringing daily joy to twitter. Find us Mondays, 9 pm EST and 8:30PM London time when we talk all things Early Years!
Hello and welcome to tonight’s #kinderchat! If you are new, please remember to include the hashtag #kinderchat in all your tweets during the chat so everyone can see your contributions.
Let’s take a bit to introduce everyone. Please tell us your name, what you do, where you are from, what you have been listening to lately. I’m Megan, ECE site director at a PK-8 school in Chicago. I’m currently listening to Weezer’s new covers album on repeat. #kinderchat
Christine from The Frozen Tundra (Canada) I'm an @ibpyp educator, former K-3 Teacher and @UCalgaryEduc research assistant! Listening to Paul Simon #kinderchat
Hey everyone! Carrie in/on Prince Edward Island Canada. I teach kindergarten in our public school system, and I've also been listening to Weezer's new Teal album. Over and over and over and over... #kinderchat
Hi everyone! My name is Colleen, I am currently an Early Childhood Education Major at Kent State University. I’ve been listening to a lot of Ed Sheeran lately. #kinderchat
I’m going to challenge us all to stretch ourselves a bit tonight. Tonight’s chat will be based on this blog post from New America: https://t.co/UVm6f1Ije5. If you haven’t had a change yet, please take a bit to read it. #kinderchat
Enjoy the sunshine! I am going away for my March break for the first time in awhile- going to visit one of my besties in Las Vegas! It's my light that I aim for all month #kinderchat
In reply to
@teachermeg, @KeeneeLou, @ibpyp, @UCalgaryEduc
What is your initial reaction to the article and the “elephants in the room” regarding early childhood education that Washington writes about? #kinderchat
Hey #kinderchat joining a little late tonight. Sarah from OH, third grade teacher switching to K next year. Currently been listening to Journeys in Faith podcast by Paula Ferris. Very interesting
Our ECDA is currently on a media blitz re: wages for our ECE's, so this article seems timely. My first reaction is there is such a wide range of qualifications for ECEs in the US and in Canada, that to speak about wages, professionalism, etc. is a big conversation #kinderchat
It made me immediately start thinking about my colleagues and my school district and whether or not equity is really in place or if it's made to LOOK that way. #kinderchat
For the folks from Canada, we have ECE educators working in homes, in stand alone centers, in public schools, in private schools...all caring and teaching for young children. But the working conditions and pay vary GREATLY. #kinderchat
There are both private and public offerings for both Pre-K and K. But, you don't have to send a child to school until age 6. It just made me realize how undervalued this work and these children appear to be. #notmandated#kinderchat
I think that’s true, but I also think the feelings of uncomfortableness are what push us all to be better and to think past our own reality and consider another persons and learn where we need to advocate. #kinderchat
A1: just having conversations about diversity in education with some colleges recently. Bringing up the topic feels uncomfortable but why? At what point will it just be that we can openly talk without stepping on eggshells #kinderchat
Having experience teaching in EC in both Canada and the US, I would say that the US has a more unified national picture of Early Childhood Education, but provincially is where Canada finds its strengths. #kinderchat
IMO when you’re reticent to face “issues” circumventing them takes so much work. Even if we do it out of kindness and consideration. I will always be a “White” teacher, but I will always do my best to listen, be aware and learn.#kindechat
A1 cont'd. I also began thinking of all the things we ask of our parapros in the public schools and how greatly the pay varies. That has GOT to change. #kinderchat
ECE is not mandated in PA and I don’t know a lot about it beyond paying for my own children’s ECE and background my kinders bring every year. Since it’s not mandated and is mostly private, it varies so much. I would love universal opportunity for ECE #kinderchat
Also important: "Our task forces, work groups, and committees cannot react with dismissal, annoyance, or gossip when people of color offer feedback that differs from the opinion of the mainstream. “Whitening the field”...should never be an option for us" #Kinderchat
Preschool is varied for us. It's hard to teach the standards in K when they assume all Ss have had preschool (which is still private in the US). #kinderchat
Also important: "Our task forces, work groups, and committees cannot react with dismissal, annoyance, or gossip when people of color offer feedback that differs from the opinion of the mainstream. “Whitening the field”...should never be an option for us" #Kinderchat
Which brings me to the next questions: What do you think are important considerations to bring to the conversation about the “professionalization of the early childhood field”? #kinderchat
Also important: "Our task forces, work groups, and committees cannot react with dismissal, annoyance, or gossip when people of color offer feedback that differs from the opinion of the mainstream. “Whitening the field”...should never be an option for us" #Kinderchat
The US also has the NAEYC and its affiliates, where Canada doesn't have that strong national voice. But, both the US and Canada have varying regulations province to province. Some Canadian provinces have excellent programs. #kinderchat
Cincy has tried to get the "preschool promise" funded to help those who cannot afford ECE attend prek... Tough to get passed. We need to educate the tax payers about the importance of ECE #kinderchat
This is an interesting conversation. @NAEYC is currently promoting a Power to the Profession dialogue that is moving the ECE conversation to the national front (similar to nursing), but what is lost if it’s national? What is gained? #kinderchat
A2) Considerations-make preschool public so all have access. Acknowledge that play is important to learning. Pay Ts a living wage. Don't marginalize the profession. Support all aspects of education-including mental health. #kinderchat
I think @NAEYC gives "heft" or credibility to the issues raised. But, haven't these discussions been going on forever? I wonder when/how change happens #kinderchat
In reply to
@teachermeg, @CarrieMarshall1, @NAEYC, @NAEYC
Also, having worked in both ECE only centers and in public schools that also include ECE, I see a huge disparity in the respect attached to each location. Even in our own field, educators sometimes look down on those working not in “schools”. #kinderchat
That's a tough call. With a national push, you have more numbers, more voices. But you lose the local knowledge. It's a balance. But I do think there should be some kind of standard for early childhood ed across the board, though I'm not sure how that would happen. #kinderchat
The conversations have been going on forever. They are actually creating drafts for policy though and the public voice is important. See info here: https://t.co/0e3GRDtWHt#kinderchat
In California (not just LA) need 12 unitsof EC development to get EC certificate. BA in EC u can be lead teacher position. Degrees vary, then the Q for me, if circumstances hinder going to school how can we say, u can’t teach, if paraprofessional can be an option
#kinderchat
I see this with my niece and then in the Pre-K class at the public school I teach in. Very different teaching happening to the same age kiddos #kinderchat
@teachermeg “Nevertheless, in this era of leadership choices,it is still too easy to “blame” the victims of social inequities, perhaps to protect our own vulnerability, i.e., to preserve the belief that the world is a just place, we devalue the victims of injustice.” #kinderchat
And then how do we ensure that all voices are heard? Is it fair and equitable to ask a home care worker who makes pennies and who provides such valuable care and education to our youngest citizens have a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education? #kinderchat
At the minimum, ECEs should be paid on par with their peers with similar degrees/certifications. If an ECE and an LPN both attend school for the same amount of time, both are highly trained in their field, shouldn't they make a comparable wage? #kinderchat
But here is the kicker...some of the VERY BEST and actually developmentally appropriate teaching happens NOT in the public schools, but in ECE centers. #kinderchat
Here's where Carrie's "socialization from living in Canada too long" comes in- set a standard wage for those who have their ECE. Subsidize early childhood education, like we do other areas of education, and pay ALL ECEs what they are worth professionally. #kinderchat
There are. Sometimes ECE teachers in the traditional school settings get caught up in being “at school” and forget that they are teaching tiny humans and need to follow preschool standards in exchange for a push down acceptance of too much academics. (But, I rant) #kinderchat
I feel that I am finally making a living wage as an educator. I still have a roommate. My union had to fight for my raise that was mandated by the state.
#kinderchat
YES! And more time to allow children to do things in their own time. So much more freedom in early childhood (and their should be, but I think it should extend to primary). Unfortunately, too many would like to limit that freedom instead of expanding it #kinderchat
There are. Sometimes ECE teachers in the traditional school settings get caught up in being “at school” and forget that they are teaching tiny humans and need to follow preschool standards in exchange for a push down acceptance of too much academics. (But, I rant) #kinderchat
Of course! I worked at ECE center and we incorporated our learning standards through playing! I believe this is extremely important at their age. #kinderchat
For me, play=inquiry. If we say we are taking an inquiry stance, we are playfully learning. And this doesn't stop in when Ss leave Kinder. It doesn't stop ever. #soapbox#kinderchat
I mentioned at the start of the chat that we would be ending early tonight because I’m just so exhausted so we are going to start to wrap up. Thank you everyone for stretching your comfort zone tonight! #kinderchat
Meg, do individuals working in ECE centres have a degree in Education over there? Here, you do not have to have a degree to be an ECE. You do have to have a degree to be a pre-K or K teacher in our district. I’m curious as to qualifications over there? #kinderchat
The underfunding of ECE centers. Head Start programs or home centers. How to get funds to even the playing field of ECE schools (part of elementary schools) to all licensed ECE centers. #kinderchat
#kinderchat anyone want to recommend any good reading I can do this summer to brush up on inquiry based play and the importance of play in Kinder classrooms? I know @MrazKristine has some good ones.
I'd like to see more states/provinces acting on the solid research that is already out there regarding quality ECE and it's connection to a healthy society. Pay more in the early years so we pay less in the adult years through health costs, and dare I say..prisons... #kinderchat
It depends. For some programs, like Head Start, you have to have an ECE bachelor degree. For others, you have to have an ECE associate degree. It’s moving to more people needing a bachelor degree. But that brings up equity issues as well. #kinderchat
It would vary from state to state, just like it does from province to province in Canada. In Illinois (at least when I taught there) everyone teaching in the center had to have their early childhood or something similar. In PEI, only some need their ECE though #kinderchat
Anyone working K definitely has a teaching license, but PreK varies. In our state the state funded program requires a license, but that is not the same from state to state. #kinderchat
They should just have been like Alberta - promise full day K, never do it, people don’t get use to it, then never have to take it away. 🤪🤪🤪 #kinderchat
In reply to
@CarrieMarshall1, @KeeneeLou, @teachermeg
And then there is the added confusion/problems that we are in a huge teacher shortage right now and cannot attract enough associate degrees teachers with their child development certificate or bachelors degrees teachers with their state license. #kinderchat
Thanks for a quality chat tonight @teachermeg I always love your discussions! Everyone- stay warm! February is almost half over. We've got this! #kinderchat
Thank you @teachermeg for hosting tonight’s chat! I loved hearing all of the different opinions/views about this topic! This was new to me and I actually really enjoyed it! Have a good night everyone! #kinderchat#firstkinderchat
