Here is an overview of my contact's opinions who works in Ottowa, Canada at Algonquin College.
"You have asked what I feel are the issues/trends in the E.C.E. field in
Canada. Of course my response will be my opinion and I am sure if you asked
any of my colleagues they might have a different opinion entirely.
Recently, Ontario, my province, has adopted a full day Kindergarten
program. This means that a Kindergarten teacher works along with an E.C.E. in
a Kindergarten classroom. This is the second year of the program and some of
my friends are employed in this type of setting. It is a very new program and
everyone is watching to see if it will be deemed a success. As I understand
it, the focus of the full day program is "play-based" learning. This is very
much in tune with the formal training we get as E.C.E.'s.
The Early Learning Centre where I work has a very long waiting list.
Obviously this means we are not meeting the demand. Consequentially, some
families look elsewhere, perhaps settling for care in an unlicensed setting.
Some of the spaces in our centre are subsidized. Others are not. This
is the case in most non-profit centers in our country. There is a debate in
Canada about whether child care should receive universal government funding.
Presently parents of young children receive a child care tax credit of about
$100.00 per month. Some parents pay several thousand dollars per month so
this is a proverbial "drop in the bucket."
Another hot topic is wages for Early Childhood Educators. I am very
lucky to be working in a high-quality, licensed centre associated with a
community college and am paid better than most. Much of the work force
consists of women, many of whom do not return to the field after having
children because all of their wages would be spent on child care. Others
simply do not enter the field because wages are not adequate. As I mentioned
earlier, we are very proud of our professional association so we are gaining
more recognition and hopefully respect which one hopes will lead to better
pay."
I find it interesting that many of the issues in Canada are not very different from here. Full-day kindergarten is a hot topic here in Indianapolis as well. Many families want this because of child care arrangements. I had to search for a half-day program that met my requirements for my oldest son, Noah. Also, funding is a major issue. Many families have a difficult time affording high-quality programs.
Here some photos of my kiddos: Miss Diva ELLA!; Mr. Happy OWEN; Mr. Cool NOAH; the gang!
Sarah, Your post was very interesting hearing from a Early Childhood Professional from Canada. The concept of combining pre-k and kindergarten is a interesting concept to follow to see the success of the program.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your conversation with the Early Childhood professional. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThe full day learning programs (kindergarten in the public school) will ultimately have an impact on many of the child care programs in Ontario. Many of the early learning programs in my area have had to change their age groups as a result. For example, programs who focused on care for 4-5 year olds are now offering care for toddler and young preschoolers.
ReplyDeleteGlad that your contacts have provided you with great information about early childhood in Ontario, Canada.
Tamara
It is interesting to note the differences between funding for child care in Canada and the U. S. I wonder which country will take the first step toward fully funding child care? In the U. S., it seems like child care is still considered to be a personal matter and not a public concern, so unless that attitude changes, it won't be any time soon. It will be interesting to see what happens.
ReplyDeleteSarah, I enjoyed your post as usual. It's sad to know that their are people who are not being paid much in the EC field. It is fair for me to say that I to am grateful for what I make. It could be worse. Your don't recognize gratefulness unless you hear someone elsewhere story. Your children are as Cute as a Button.
ReplyDeleteGreat work..