Hi Friends!
It’s been a while since I have blogged, so let’s catch up! If you are familiar with my work on Instagram, you know by now that I made a very BIG decision this year, and that was to leave elementary school teaching. This was something that I have been thinking about for a few years, and as I began to move through my Ph.D. program, I began to realize that my work both in the classroom and outside of it was shifting.
I was a classroom teacher for over sixteen years, and genuinely loved every minute of it. There is nothing like teaching Kindergarten, and I hold those memories close to my heart. I will always cherish the sweet moments, kind and welcoming families, educators and administrators I have worked with.
This September, I was very fortunate to teach the course Curriculum and Evaluation in Early Years in the Faculty of Education at the University of New Brunswick. I had always dreamed of transitioning from teaching in the classroom to teaching at a Faculty of Education, so when I was offered the position, although a career transition was scary, I decided to take the leap! Now, on the other side of this course, and reflecting on all of the connections, teaching and feedback I received, I can honestly say that teaching – whether it is in the classroom or at a Faculty of Education – is equally rewarding.
Throughout my Ph.D. journey, while teaching in the classroom, I began to notice tensions I felt as a teacher between teaching to the curriculum and supporting diverse children and families. My doctoral studies have given me a new lens to think more deeply about systemic issues and to ask questions related to education policy, professional development, and supporting teachers working in diverse contexts. For example, in my doctoral research, I interviewed both teachers and DECEs across Ontario teaching in the Ontario Full-Day Early Learning Kindergarten program. In our interviews, I noticed common themes: gaps in the system when it comes to supporting newcomer families in relation to board policies; a lack of resources and professional development for educators related to culturally responsive pedagogy; and the fact that almost all the labour of supporting diverse families fell on educators in the program. These findings, among several others, prompted me to take a step back and really examine gaps in early childhood education systems.
Having been in the classroom for almost two decades and having interviewed early childhood educators from many different school boards across our province, I have come to realize that much of what we experience on the ‘front lines’ as educators remains invisible to the systems we work in. Our classrooms are complex. Our classrooms are diverse. And the expectations to manage all the demands of each child and each family, and to continue to evolve our pedagogical practices, are a lot!
As I take you along on my career adventure, I hope to support educators in their work with diverse families through regular blogging, sharing research and inspiration for teaching, and providing a safe place to chat! One of the things I learned from my interviews —and that I hope to continue to be —is a safe space for educators to share their experiences. I attribute much of the honest conversations I have had with early childhood educators and their experiences in the Ontario Full-Day Kindergarten program to the fact that my study was not tied to a particular board of education. As a result, it was a safe space to share the joy, difficulties, and complexities of our work! I realized during these interviews that while we give our best to the children and families in our care, much of what we truly need for support is missed by the systems we work in. There is a huge disconnect between research, policy and the realities of teaching.
As I continue to think about this, I am excited to get back to blogging and sharing insights, resources, and research that will support your work! I’m happy you are along for my little career adventure. I can’t wait to see where it goes!
x Kamini
