By: Diane Kashin, EdD, RECE. When I started this blog, with a professional friend, the intention was to support professional learning through the use of internet searches and social media. Sadly, the friendship did not last, but the blog is still here! It continues to be a platform to share resources related to early learning … Continue reading
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New Year Resolutions for Early Childhood Educators
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. Looking back on a long career as an early childhood educator, I can confidently say that professional friendships are my greatest accomplishments. I have benefited more from these relationships than any title I have had, or credential that I have earned. My belief in the value of professional friendships is … Continue reading
Updating Outdated Practices in Early Childhood Education
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. The 21st century began on January 1st, 2001. Today’s children deserve learning experiences grounded in practices that are in keeping with a new era of play and learning. Now is the time to critically reflect on the practices that linger on from the previous century. I am a child of … Continue reading
Continuous Professional Learning for Early Childhood Educators: Responsive Relationships
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE When I went into self-isolation, I was worried about what I would do to keep myself motivated and busy. I wondered whether I could keep blogging in this time of COVID-19. I wrote one post, Early Childhood Education: Making Sense of Our Life’s Course but didn’t know what to write … Continue reading
Continuous Professional Learning for Early Childhood Educators: Process Art
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE As I sit in isolation on my couch, trying to make sense of our current circumstances, I wanted to reach out to early childhood educators, to provide some free professional learning. I feel like it is the least I can do for other early childhood educators. I am a proud to … Continue reading
Early Childhood Education: Making Sense of our Life’s Course
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE Exactly two years ago, I was in Reggio Emilia, Italy attending a study tour, enjoying the deep thinking, dialogue, food, drink and ambience with cherished friends. Exactly one year ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. With my last treatment coinciding with the end of 2019, I was very hopeful … Continue reading
The Image of the Early Childhood Educator: Learner, Researcher and Innovator
By: Diane Kashin, Ed. D, RECE. When I was a teenager, my career goal was to be a high school history teacher. At a time of declining enrolment, the goal could not be achieved and instead I chose a different path after university. I found office jobs which I hated and wasn’t that good at, … Continue reading
Sparking Inquiry from Children’s Emerging Interests
By: Diane Kashin, Ed. D, RECE. My last blog A Provoking Post on Provocations garnered some great comments and Twitter conversations that have sparked deep thinking about the process of pedagogy and curriculum in the early years. When I began my career as an early childhood educator I was fascinated by planning and programming. I … Continue reading
A Provoking Post on Provocations
By: Diane Kashin, Ed. D, RECE. I am not sure exactly when I first heard the term provocation as used to describe a “Reggio-inspired” experience for children. It might have been five or six years ago. I found the use of the word troubling and I continue to struggle with it. I have resisted using it … Continue reading
Curious about Curiosity: Ditch the Plastic and Value the Vintage!
By: Diane Kashin, Ed. D, RECE. I have been curious about the role curiosity plays in teaching and learning for some time now. Curiosity can be defined as an intrinsic desire to learn. Curiosity is stimulated by something in the child’s environment that leads the child to have a desire to explore, discover, question, and … Continue reading