By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. and Cindy Green, RECE. It has been almost two years since Cindy and I spent a wonderful few days collecting loose parts with intention to share at a conference with 400 Upper Canada Child Care educators but over twenty-five years since we first started our dialogue about loose parts. Loose … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. I would like to make a confession. When I was a practising early childhood educator, I would take children outdoors to a fenced in playground for one hour in the morning and another in the afternoon because outdoor play was required by legislation. It was not my favourite time of … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. One of the greatest joys that I have had in my long career in early childhood education is as of a result of the opportunities to engage with others in professional learning. Many years ago, in conversation with friends Evette Serota, Rosalba Bortolotti and Heather Jackson in the park outside the … Continue reading
Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. Of all the professional learning experiences that I have taken part in over the years, none have been as meaningful as those designed as collaborative and emergent experiences. On the top of my list is the Rhythm of Learning in Nature with the York Region Nature Collaborative which this summer takes … Continue reading
Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. The profession of early learning is full of acronyms! When my ECE friends and I get together anyone listening to us might think we are speaking another language. It is the language of our profession. Learning the language supports early learning teachers in their professional journeys. Language is a navigation tool … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. I have often been asked where I get the topics for my blog posts. Usually it is what I am currently thinking about – something that I see as a trend in early childhood education pedagogy and curriculum. I have written about trends and buzz words before as I find … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. Children require environments that allow them to engage in play that is adventurous, challenging and even risky. Risky play helps children learn about their world; test out what is and is not possible; learn about making mistakes; and discover new things about themselves, their space, place, and environment. Risk taking … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. My good friend Debi Keyte Hartland who inspires me with her insight on pedagogical documentation recently wrote a blog post that spoke to the challenging times and the potential of documentation to make visible the values of a humane society. Perhaps it is a sign of the times that I too … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. Pedagogical documentation can be viewed as a “process to explore all of our questions about children” (Ministry of Education, 2014, p. 21). It is a slow process that requires time but above all it needs to become a mindset – a habit of practice. Documentation becomes pedagogical when it is interpreted … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. To begin with I would like to wish all the followers and readers of this blog a very HAPPY NEW YEAR! A new year is the time for reflection and resolutions. For me, 2017 will be the year that I continue my quest to make meaning from the theory and practice … Continue reading
Technology Rich Inquiry Based Research 