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197 However, she is concerned by the image others have. “People don’t understand that children are beginning their education with us. We should be valued but unfortunately we are not valued. We are not paid enough.” Compared to the kindergarten teachers with whom she shares space, Rose does not feel herself as lesser than them. “I can see the handouts, you know follow the lines. The teachers will tell the children that they are colouring outside the lines and that Mommy is not going to like it.” Rose feels that the practice of the kindergarten teachers is regimented. “This is what we have to get done and the children follow.” In comparison “we are a lot more open. We allow them to learn at their own pace. We allow them to learn what they are interested in.” Instead of taking an inferior posture, Rose presents herself as an equal partner and feels that the kindergarten teachers “respect us.” Metaphor of teaching. Rose sees the teacher as “being like the sun with the ground as the community and the flower as the child. Without the sun, the flower would not bloom. Without the soil, the flower would not grow. The metaphor states an ecological perspective that acknowledges relationships. The teacher’s role in this representation is essential as the sun which permeates the warmth that generates growth and development. At Rose’s centre, efforts are made to ensure positive relationships with all the community partners, including school personnel and parents. The recognition of community goes beyond the neighbourhood to a broader context. The children are active partners in the clothing and toy drives for communities in need of support which has generated the attention of the local media, native Canadian leaders and politicians.
198 Emerging directions. Rose has no immediate plans to leave the centre as she sees continued potential for advancement. She continues to consider attending a faculty of education but at this time Rose claims, “I am happy where I am. I enjoy the people I work with. I enjoy the children and the curriculum.” Rose sees emergent curriculum as being instrumental in her growth as an early childhood educator. However, when asked to share her theories of curriculum she has difficulty articulating them. She is unable to explain how theory implicates her practice, expressing herself most often in practical terms. With her commitment to professional development, Rose may eventually see praxis as her scaffold’s next rung. Professional development could lead to an articulated praxis. Advice to others. While an advocate for emergent curriculum and project-based learning, Rose would caution others to take it slowly when transitioning away from a theme-based approach. Rose feels that it would be preferable if themes were never used but with their predominance this would be unlikely. According to Rose, to move away from the theme approach, early childhood educators need to make a commitment to change. If Rose’s story is considered as testimony to the impact of emergent curriculum, then this change can be considered worthwhile. The change in Rose and in the other teachers in the centre has brought them into a collaborative community. The children have responded and according to Rose, the projects have been effective for learning— both children and adults learn with an emergent curriculum. Knowledge is acquired by all as project topics are investigated and discoveries are made. It is this learning that
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REACHING THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN: T
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Acknowledgements I wish to express
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Teacher as Theory Builder .........
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Dedication This dissertation is ded
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2 are inextricably linked to issues
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4 2. What is the perception of the
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6 educators who have adapted a refr
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8 constructive process. It is based
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10 Experiential or active learning
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12 through active involvement with
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14 Relevance of Study When I took a
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16 the centre of the labyrinth can
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18 without walls, the teacher calle
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20 As a very young child, the teach
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22 of completing my education and r
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24 what the learner already knows t
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26 unsure of my direction; still I
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28 the centre or return to the entr
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30 here, though, is that these expe
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32 of fixing children by teaching t
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34 relates to those aspects of acti
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36 As I articulate my experiences w
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38 An essential part of who I am an
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40 teacher-centred practice. Teache
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42 well was gradually undergoing re
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44 While education staff in public
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46 school settings, has an equally
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48 In Ontario, over 90% of the 300,
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50 knowledge and skills not possess
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52 staff members who do not have sp
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54 Content and pedagogy should be i
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56 order to remain competitive, it
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58 those employed in child care are
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60 and/or co-workers (Doherty & For
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62 exacerbated by the findings that
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64 Québec a public education campa
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66 You Bet I Care! (2000) examined
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68 coupled with feelings of inadequ
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70 dimension as “it takes place i
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72 thirds of assistant teachers and
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74 psychological and physical safet
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76 Certification. Certification is
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78 aspire to (CCCF, 1995). The beli
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80 According to Bertrand (2003), co
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82 difficulty with recruitment and
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84 childhood educators. Perhaps a v
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86 teaching staff in order to help
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88 The disappointing findings helpe
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90 curriculum. The former rather th
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92 evolves, diverging along new pat
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94 require the abandonment of a wid
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96 consideration of how children le
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98 may involve recognition of child
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100 prematurely is that those who c
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102 1996). Some of the criticism su
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104 best from activities they thems
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106 The Reggio Emilia Approach The
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108 4. documentation: teachers and
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110 change their interactions based
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112 Documentation in this form is n
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114 own evolving authentic curricul
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116 lead “into an expanding world
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118 gap between what “the child i
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120 to visit the programs appeared
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122 lack of research and its limite
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124 classroom, teachers learn and r
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126 issues, a self-directed orienta
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128 changes within the school as a
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130 of practice within communities
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132 outcomes for programs with a so
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134 This program began in 1975 and
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136 reflective practice involving j
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138 beginning teachers.” Interest
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140 In the Forward to Developmental
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Chapter Four: Methodology What you
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144 (multiple realities are sociall
Page 153 and 154: 146 are issue oriented and are “n
Page 155 and 156: 148 implications to halting the pra
Page 157 and 158: 150 my research participants and wi
Page 159 and 160: 152 was the child, not her teacher.
Page 161 and 162: 154 In making the study accessible,
Page 163 and 164: 156 these categories: current pract
Page 165 and 166: 158 widely used by market researche
Page 167 and 168: 160 particular project topic brough
Page 169 and 170: 162 collaboration involving mutual
Page 171 and 172: 164 The Weary Traveler: Roadblock F
Page 173 and 174: 166 Conclusion In collecting data,
Page 175 and 176: 168 the experience of teachers who
Page 177 and 178: 170 twenty bucks for Chinese New Ye
Page 179 and 180: 172 The centre now occupies space i
Page 181 and 182: 174 for the kid’s interests. You
Page 183 and 184: 176 analyzed by the group. At the p
Page 185 and 186: 178 Figure 5. The weather project d
Page 187 and 188: 180 program more theirs” Subseque
Page 189 and 190: 182 teachers, the rest see them as
Page 191 and 192: 184 It makes you pumped. Sometimes
Page 193 and 194: 186 Case Study Number Two: The Spir
Page 195 and 196: 188 the various levels of the organ
Page 197 and 198: 190 volunteers her time to facilita
Page 199 and 200: 192 willing to learn. It is not som
Page 201 and 202: 194 Challenges. Given the limited h
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Page 207 and 208: 200 There was a discernable absence
Page 209 and 210: 202 preschool age children (2 1/2 t
Page 211 and 212: 204 Mary was satisfied with this th
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Page 215 and 216: 208 Recognizing the children’s in
Page 217 and 218: 210 Mary believes that child care h
Page 219 and 220: 212 The children are the seeds. The
Page 221 and 222: 214 Mary would advise others to est
Page 223 and 224: 216 Figure 17. Splat, splat like Ja
Page 225 and 226: 218 As a result of fees and capacit
Page 227 and 228: 220 work. Felicia was solicited by
Page 229 and 230: 222 Felicia’s co-worker was the f
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Page 233 and 234: 226 children could have a really ex
Page 235 and 236: 228 feelings of confidence mixed wi
Page 237 and 238: 230 you can answer that question ho
Page 239 and 240: Chapter Six: Discussion If nature h
Page 241 and 242: 234 The Impact of Context The situa
Page 243 and 244: 236 Feeling valued and supported in
Page 245 and 246: 238 impacted Rose’s attitude towa
Page 247 and 248: 240 in the field. Rose has been tak
Page 249 and 250: 242 practice with the chance to att
Page 251 and 252: 244 are interested and they are pas
Page 253 and 254: 246 primarily to the teachers. Mary
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248 learners. While this is a “de
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250 “not engaged” with an emerg
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252 alternative perspective, a teac
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254 had difficulty reconciling the
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256 the project determined its dire
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258 Layla recalled the experience o
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260 information. A newsletter produ
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262 order to ascertain future direc
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264 (Rankin, 2004). In Reggio Emili
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266 theory is just a proposed expla
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268 Table 1 Katz’s Model of Teach
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270 Katz’s conceptualization (200
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272 Table 2 Kashin’s Model of Eme
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274 availability could produce the
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Chapter Seven: Future Directions If
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278 as I have been, to detach thems
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280 objects created by adults remov
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282 winter semester of 2006, I am o
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284 Emilia to early childhood educa
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286 within a Reggio-inspired enviro
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288 However, the ship cannot be rep
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290 curriculum choices from a broad
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292 editor, a friend, and the parti
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294 As I envision the future, it ho
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296 of custom, of the normal, of th
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298 theory in practice take place f
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300 The question being pondered was
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302 developmentally appropriate to
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304 with this perception of my fiel
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References Adcock, S. G., & Patton,
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308 appropriate practice in early c
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310 Corbett, B. E. (1989). A centur
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312 Ferguson, E. (1994). Child care
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314 Griffin, S. (2002). To be or no
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316 Katz, L. (1999). Curriculum dis
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318 Miller, S. M., & Shoptaugh, S.
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320 Palmer, P. J. (1998). The coura
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322 Schön, D.A. (1996). Educating
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324 Weber, S., & Mitchell, C. (1995
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Appendix A: Invitation to Participa
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328 I am free to decline to answer
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330 4. What are the strengths of th
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Appendix E: The Image of the Teache
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334 Image: 1. How does the image ot
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336 obvious to me and I react with
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338 Layla: That was the place with
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340 table relates to the topic. The
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342 supply teacher has a child in h
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344 the children regarding the char
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346 conversation about A R T contin
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348 22 going on, puzzles or another
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