Professional Learning

As a RECE in Ontario, we are committed to continuous professional learning through a portfolio with the College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE). Through this model, we reflect on our teaching and learning on an ongoing basis, and track it in a fillable document provided by the CECE. I’ll be critical and honest (two aspects of my personal brand, perhaps?) and state that this format expects that absolute minimum from us. In recent years, the college has simplified the CPL process for members and I’m happy it’s become more accessible/manageable to educators. And still, as I fill out my form, I want this process to feel more meaningful to me. So to extend my professional learning to a broader community and invite contributions, I want to ask a question to my fellow educators:

HOW DO YOU EMBODY LEADERSHIP AS A RECE?

This is presented in Standard IV of the Code of Ethics and Standards …that all educators regardless of position or title within their organization are leaders. So the question I am asking myself is, how am I a leader? Here are some of my answers:

• By inviting new knowledge and diverse perspectives– especially contradictory ones or those from the naysayers. This type of dialogue helps me digest some of the important politics of our sector and understand how communities can work together to address the current challenges.
• By actively seeking change. The last few years has been a pivotal time in our sector and I have made a choice to seek room to grow. I know that for my wellbeing as a professional and to feel satisfied in my work I need to be challenged- and so I seek that challenge.
• Through talking with friends, families and community stakeholders about my professional decisions. This process helps to create awareness of current sector challenges and being an advocate is a part of my professional identity.
• Through critical self-reflection. I recently had an exchange with a colleague that left me feeling critical of my own actions. After some thought, I realized my voice sounded quite cynical- and I didn’t like that. This small exchange has had more impact on my self-reflection than most of the books I read last year! I am grateful for it. When I listen to my colleagues, reflect on my own practice, and take steps to learn more, I act as a leader.
• By engaging with professional learning communities. When I connect with other educators about pedagogy, it brings value to my own practice. I’m working to do this in more communities now, which is partly why I am writing this post. Co-constructing our identities as educators within a community reflects a view that we are shaping the future of early education in our daily lives. This is leadership.

This is my big professional reflection question for the year. I am excited to explore learning around this topic and see how my ideas might shift. If you’re a RECE, I hope you share in the comments of wherever you find this post because I genuinely want to know your own answers to this question. I’d also love to know, who are some of your favourite ECE leaders, and why?