Program Statement Survey ECE Responses

The purpose of early childhood education is to

001 Enrich the lives of children and their families.
002 Engage children, follow their interests, socializes with other children. Build strong foundations so all
children feel a sense of belonging, well-being and are able to express themselves. To build strong
relationships with other children and adults.
003 Develop programs that nurture healthy development of children. Support their growing sense of self.
Programs that provide caring relationships between children, staff, parents and the world around them.
Programs that engage children in active, creative play and fosters communication.
004 Provide quality care for parents; that parents dont need to worry about. Quality care should be the same
from one center to the next equal.
005 Ensure children reach their fullest potential in all areas of development; socially, emotionally, cognitively
and physically.
006 To prepare child for school, to develop childrens brain at a young age, to prepare children for separation
from parents.
Why do you enjoy Early Childhood Education?
001 Meeting new children and families; meeting people from different places; parents who have a diverse
variety of jobs.
002 I love exploring and acting as a co-learner alongside the children. Young children bring me genuine joy
and fulfillment. I believe it is an important building block that stays with children for a lifetime.
003 I enjoy working with children. I feel great knowing that I can make a difference in their life by teaching
them a new skill, helping, listening to their needs, and meeting them. I look at each child as an individual
with unique possibilities.
004 Building relationships with families and children. Every day is so different.
005 You (as a teacher) are continuously learning and growing, every day is new and different even though
your routine remains the same. You are surrounded by children who love you unconditionally.
006 Children. I love meeting all the childrens needs and helping them to learn to be independent.
Students learn best by
001 First they need to feel safe, secure, and cared for; then they learn best by doing when they get to build,
explore, create, etc.

Program Statement Survey ECE Responses

002

Following their lead, actively listening to them, asking lots of open-ended engaging questions, followed by
discussion and exploration.
003 Engaging with others, exploring, play, hands-on activities.
004 Being interested, when they have strong relationships with their educators and peers.
005 Doing things hands-on, actually experiencing it, instead of just talking about it. Exploring and
experimenting on their own.
006 Hands-on experimenting with sensory or toys.
Do you set goals (daily, weekly) for yourself and for the children? (Please identify age group and explain further.)
001 (Preschool) I have yearly professional goals I aim to achieve each year. When we were theme-based I
used to have daily/weekly plan, now that we are emergent I am more open and flexible to what the
children want to do. I do bring in provocations and have a planned craft each week.
002 (Ages 2.5-3.5) Yes, both daily and weekly depending on the needs of the children and what is happening
in the program. To be truly emergent, much reflection needs to happen.
003 (Toddler) I set my goals on a daily basis. Every day is a different day in our room; weekly for older kids.
004 Yes, I set goals of what I want to accomplish. It doesnt always happen have to be flexible on each day.
005 (Junior Preschool) As a team, my co-teachers and I meet to discuss individual goals for the children, i.e.
getting a child to focus, or to do their tasks during transitions, listening, calming their bodies, etc.
006 (Ages 1.5-2.5) Yes. As a team we discuss these goals and try to meet them. We also set yearly goals.
The most effective methods for teaching are (Identify age group.)
001 (Preschool) Children learn best through experiences they can take part in, or do themselves, but we do
need to acknowledge that children have a wide variety of learning styles.
002 (Ages 2.5-3.5) Building strong relationships with the children. Engaging them through provocations and
building on their interests using the most realistic props, toys and resources.
003 (Toddlers) Playing with them, being engaged with them. (Preschool) Hands-on, letting them lead, and
guiding them.
004 (Toddlers) Sensory cause and effect. (Preschool) Explore trial and error.
005 (Preschool) Developing hands-on learning experiences, the teacher does the activity with the children.
They (we) learn together.
006 Hands-on playing with the children, listen to them and making sure all their needs are met.

Program Statement Survey ECE Responses

I know this because
001

When I want to teach the children a new idea or concept I use many different ways to do it. E.g. Teaching
children about colours and colour mixing I might read a book about it, I will talk to the children about it,
have them mix paint colours, have them do crafts where we mix different coloured water etc.
002 Children learn better when real connections are made in relationships and with the world around them.
003 I have tried it in my classroom. Every child learns in their own way so I use different activities to make
sure that they are interested.
004 We see this every day.
005 Children are most interested and involved in an activity when an adult is there to experience it with them,
i.e. if no one is at the playdough table and a teacher sits down there, within a few minutes there are
several children wanting to join in.
006 Our children are happy and having fun.
The most important aspects of my work are
001 Goes back to first question. Children need to know that they are safe, and loved at school. Important to
have an individual relationship with each child. Help children to develop skills that they can use and build
upon throughout their entire lives.
002 Building relationships with children and families; meeting the needs of both children and families.
003 Well-being of the child, providing safe environment for them. Caring for them, making it fun. Engaging
with children and parents. Great communication.
004 Ensuring familys needs are met.
005 Making real connections with children, having a bond with them so that they trust you. Giving them
experiences they need to learn and grow.
006 The children. Making sure all the needs of the children are met.

Program Statement Survey ECE Responses

Provide a brief description or example of what the following would look like in a childs day: (Please identify age group)

Well-being
001

002

003

004
005
006

(Preschool) Children learning to care for their own needs and identifying what they need. At this age they
are learning when they need to go to the bathroom and do that independently; knowing when they are
hungry/thirsty being able to get themselves a simple snack or a glass of water. Learning to dress
themselves.
(2.5-3.5) Providing age-appropriate choices for toileting, free flow self-serve snack; providing different
areas in the classroom to meet the individual needs of all the children. E.g. One person in the quiet tent
when a child needs time alone.
(Toddlers/Preschool) Provide healthy snacks; practice self-help skills. Provide opportunities for children to
be physically active/outdoor or gym. Reaching out to families including those who may experience
stressful circumstances, helping them.
Well nourished, all care areas taken care of. Clean diapers, clean face and hands. Dressed in appropriate
outdoor gear.
They feel safe and secure in their environment. They trust their teachers and feel safe and comfortable
approaching them for anything. Their basic needs are met. They feel loved.
We make sure they are dressed to go outside in any kind of weather with school supplies if they dont
bring their own. We make sure they are fed at snack time. We change diapers and help them to master
potty skills.

Engagement
001

002

Actively involved in what is happening in the classroom/outdoors

Picking the toys and/or friends they want to spend time with
Being able to explore what they are interested in, e.g. if they like to build and create, there are those
materials available to them and they are free to spend time building and creating with them
Teachers build on these interests
Getting to know the children and by doing so providing both spontaneous and planned activities to keep
children engaged whether it be exploring upon dinosaurs, a doctors office, firefighters or princesses.
Keeping the children engaged will help focus and keep it interesting.

Program Statement Survey ECE Responses

003
004
005

006

Toddlers: Singing with them, reading to them, playing with playdough, painting
Preschool: Participating with children as a co-investigator, co-planner, provide activities that engage them
Lots of materials offered that are interesting, and then build on those interests by adding more, and
exciting materials
Their environment is stimulating and inviting so that they want to explore it and learn from it.
A teacher is there to help them become engaged in new experiences that are interesting to them and are
appropriate for their development level.
Making sure all our needs are met. We have a lot of sensory in our room because that is what a toddler
needs to learn.

Expression
001

002
003

004
005

006

By this age children should have a big enough vocabulary to easily communicate with the adults and
children in the room say what they like, what they want, etc. Preschool children are starting to learn
self-control using words instead of their hands.
Children should also be free to express/explore their interests, e.g. both boys and girls can play with dolls.
There are always craft materials available so they can express themselves through painting and drawing.
Through helping children build tools to communicate with their friends, adults and others through talking,
picture form, art, and their play
(Toddler and Preschool) Foster communication
Build on their conversation, encourage conversation
Listen to their cues
Songs, dance, drawing, painting, storytelling
Each child can express themselves differently unique for their own personality
Children are free to learn and play in ways that are interesting and relevant to them.
One child may express themselves by doing everything gross motor running, jumping, climbing, etc. But
another may choose to sit quietly and colour, or read, or play with dolls, etc.
Ensuring, as an educator, that you have all these outlets for expression.
When we find our room is getting crazy we would move the children to the gym to meet their physical
needs.

Program Statement Survey ECE Responses

Belonging
001

002
003

004
005
006

Every child should feel like they are an important part of our classroom
We greet each child each day when they arrive, we learn what they like/dislike
We see children forming friendships with their peers
I want every child in my care to know that they are loved and cared for
Making sure all children have made a deep connection to at least one adult and peer by conversation,
positive play interactions, all the while keeping it fun
Connecting with each child and recognizing and valuing their unique spirit, (daily realities, e.g. diaper
change, dressing)
Providing warm and caring environment
Building communication between home and childcare
Feel a sense of belonging within the classroom, and with their educators
Feel love, sense of importance, self-worth; build confidence
These are all intertwined! All of the above need to be met to ensure each child feels as though they
belong.
In the toddler room we will sign some of our words for the children. We do this for everyone, this way we
make everyone feel the same. We do everything in groups together as one big happy toddler family.