i heart reggio

Day Two.  Success.  I promise I won't update you daily on my new job, but I have a few things to share because I think I kinda love it....

First: The centre is Reggio Emilia inspired.  A child care philosophy that I've been inspired, intrigued and in love with for the last few years.  My Master's thesis was Reggio-inspired, as much as I hate that term, for lack of a better one. So I'm super pumped to be in an environment that is embracing these ideas towards child development and early learning, and putting them into practice every day. Check out Reggio here, and this blog is great.

Second: I said to M. last week, or at least very recently, how funny and strange it is that I've been in the child care field for 11 years now [yikes] and I've never worked with men.  Ever.  There were never any males in any of my classes, in any of the institutions that I've attended, and we've never had any males on staff in any of the [many] centres I've worked at.  Wait.. I lie.  One year I co-taught with a wonderful man for a few months for a few hours a day.  It was short-lived, but I absolutley adored having him in the classroom.  He was responsible for the First Nations cultural component of the program I was involved in. But other than that... nothing! Trying to recruit men to the field is an ongoing issue, in a field that is traditionally deemed 'female', 'women's work', etc... and also one that pays so low.  The men folk just aren't interested.  However... that changes now! I'm currently working with not one, but two men at the new job! I'm so pumped! New ideas, new approaches, new experiences... love it.

Third: The kids are allowed and encouraged to keep their bicycles and bike helmets in their lockers at daycare.  All of their little bikes are kept in a shed out back, and a huge section is paved for riding.  So every day that it's nice [every day!] the kids get to put on their bicycle helmets, grab their water bottles, and we all go out back so they can ride around like maniacs on their bicycles.  It is outstanding.  What's more... I don't think I've ever seen 4 year olds negotiating a two wheeler so well... no training wheels! Very cool.

So.. all of these things together?? Pretty great in my book. Plus the kids are damn cute.