By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. There is no question that we are living in difficult times. It is during challenging circumstances that music can bring solace when we are feeling stressed, isolated and alone. It helps us feel less socially disconnected. The child of 2020 should have exposure to the songs that can evoke warm … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. We live in extraordinary times. How early learning professionals respond to COVID-19 is history in the making. I can only imagine what it must be like to return to teaching after closures due to the pandemic. In times like these, I personally find solace and comfort in returning to revisit, … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. and Nicole Pierce RECE. In the time of COVID as children return to early learning environments after being in isolation in their homes, how will they feel? Will children feel a sense of belonging in this new normal of physical distancing, mask wearing, toy sanitizing and hand washing? They will … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. As many early childhood educators in Ontario are considering their return to programs across the province, we, as a profession, are at a crossroad. To be at a crossroad is to be at a point where you have to make very important decisions. Will you go bravely into this new world of child … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. I have always believed that early childhood educators are the salt of the earth, a phrase that refers to groups of people who have great worth to society. In my long career as a proud early childhood educator, never has this been more apparent to me than during this unprecedented … Continue reading
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
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
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
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE and Cindy Green, BSc, RECE. Block play is centuries old. Blocks were part of a historical movement that focused on building a child-centred culture that began in the late 1700s (Dietze & Kashin, 2019). There was John Locke (1632-1704), the English philosopher who recommended the use of alphabet blocks for … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed. D, RECE. In my last blog post, I wrote about the pedagogical approaches described in How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years (2014). I believe, that of all the approaches, reflective practice and collaborative inquiry, has the most capacity to impact the others. This post will provide some … Continue reading
Technology Rich Inquiry Based Research 