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Figure 7. All hands on snakes.
Context.
Rose is single, in her mid-thirties, has been in the field for eight years, and has
been employed predominately with the same agency. This community-based organization
has four before- and after-school satellites in neighbouring schools. When Rose began
her journey, early childhood education was not her original destination; she had wanted
to be a grade school teacher. While the road had been re-routed, the path ahead has
remained straightforward as there has been a consistency to her employment.
The heart of this organization is a child care centre located in a suburban school.
There are two classrooms, one with preschool children, age’s two-and-a-half to three and
the other with children ages four and five. In addition, the centre shares space in the
building for a before and after school program of approximately 60 children. The
community is established, having been developed over two decades ago. It is
characterized as mostly middle class and ethnically diverse.
Like Layla’s centre, this is a non-profit organization managed by a board of
parents, school personnel, and community members. While there is cohesiveness between