What characteristics describe a professional/professionalism?
-establishing & respecting boundaries
- expert in ur field of study
-Practicing professional standards & code of ethics (Walking the
talk)
-Supportive of others you work with, so you are able to work as a
strong team
What does Schon say abt professional practice?
Professional practice is not determined by
content knowledge & technological skill.
- Is a reflective practice: a way of doing that is recognized &
articulate thro reflections that is the essential component of negotiating the professional world:
◦ Reflecting-in-action
◦ Reflecting-on-action
How might one’s sense of professional identity & commitment to role of an educator change in response to position type? (FT, PT, contract, etc.)
- Accountability
- Time
- “Watching” vs. “Teaching”
- Enviro
- Stability
- Value of position- career
Titles: - confidence - connections - FT: Conformity
- PT: “being on game”
- Research is dependent on the context of the enviro & relationships
What does commercial vs gov funded child care look like?
- Commercial: using these materials, aim to make money
- Government: policies/checkmarks to meet/implement in order to receive funding
How can the way that our sector is under multiple umbrellas affect how the field is viewed/the reputation?
- How we base our judgements depends on our experiences
- When there are so many variables, they all contribute to the reputation and quality of programs
- Viability (stability)– makes it a lot more complicated when we try to advocate for early learning as a valuable part of education
- Education (early years & primary), kind of anyone can open up a childcare or private school–unlike hospitals where you need the qualifications to do so (Pros & cons to both)
- Privatization can be beneficial bc it enables us to have more spaces/ tailored spaces/ specialized education, however, someone may not be qualified & some of these options cost fams more money
Wht factors influence professional identity?
- INDIVIDUAL: decisions, values
- SOCIAL: what is out there, what job options are available, If you keep meeting w/ the same ppl, the same ideas come out of it, this is why community practice is so crucial, to gain new ideas/insights
- ECONOMIC: wages, being able to afford expenses influences decisions & quality and perceptions
- POLITICAL
A combo of views tht professionals hold abt the importance of their work, how others and society view their work
Wht is the diff b/w workshops and CoP?
How are they helpful?
WORKSHOPS:
- Ppl/professionals
- Topic- learn -PD
- Relationships
- “One-offs” -new ppl each time
CoP:
- Community
- Regular meetings (Not one off)
- Invited/participants
- Professionals
- Long lasting
- Topic - Threads
Helpful bc can engage in discussing, validating what is influencing my way of thinking, investigating unsettling feelings & unpacking it, reflecting, not willing to conform
How does the state of the early learning field affect professional development?
Quality can be maintained when we have RECEs, qualified workers, but bc we are in crisis mode in the early learning field, a lot of non-rece educators are being employed. This affects professional identity bc for ppl with a 4-year degree they may be working in the same position as someone with no qualifications/experience
The fact tht someone can walk in off the street and become an educator compromises professional identity
The legislation allows for this (one RECE in the room)
Developing professional identity is….
- Often attached to the profession
- Complex & evolving
- Shifts & changes
- Informed by actions, values, beliefs
The role of ECEs in advocacy
- historically ECEs haven’t been central to broader childcare advocacy movement
- ECEs have the potential to lead change & advocate for high-quality care despite challenges like being over-worked, undervalued & lack of confidence for macro advocacy
Childcare as a public good
- viewing childcare as a public good adds value to the profession
- points to childcare being a public responsibility (not just familial)– meriting gov support & investment
Challenges of childcare market
- marketized child care leads to unaccessibility, unaffordability, low quality, insufficient wages
- ECEs working in field must understand market vs. system debate to better engage in advocacy & policy convos
– if u don’t advocate for yourself how will ppl know & changes occur?
Workforce is central to quality
- The quality of childcare programs is highly dependent on a well-trained and supported workforce.
- Advocating for professional pay and recognition for ECEs is integral to improving the overall quality of child care.
- Strategic Advocacy & Building Alliances:
- The importance of ECEs building alliances with parents and communities to advocate for lower fees, higher wages, and better quality care.
- This also encourages ECEs to ask critical questions about the current childcare arrangements and their professional responsibility in advocating for change.
- Empowering ECEs in Policy and Advocacy:
- including and supporting ECEs in policy discussions and advocacy efforts.
- By doing so, ECEs can leverage their position as trusted educators and caregivers to influence parents, communities, and ultimately, policy-making processes.
Wht is involved in developing/constructing professional identity?
- Individual morals, value and beliefs
- Education, training and experience
- Self-efficacy, confidence, work ethic
Wht r some key elements to consider?
- Role in the workforce, interprofessional collaboration
- It evolves, is fluid
- Continuous to develop with engagement in continuous professional learning opportunities
- Can be influenced with current role, responsibility and title
When/how is professional identity informed?
- Reflective practice, engaging w/ others, CoP
- Society perceptions & acceptance/understanding of profession/work
- Personal practical knowledge practice & experiences
Professionalism in the early years…
BROAD: Professionalism informed by relationship-based practice of profession & accounts for ways RECEs regardless of enviro must demonstrate professionalism
SPECIFIC: Professionalism is demonstrated thro relationships w/ children, fams, & colleagues, accountability to public and profession
Aspects of professionalism in practice
- ETHICAL VALUES
- KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS
- CPL
- PROFESSIONAL JUDGEMENT
- ACCOUNTABILITY
WHAT & HOW of PEDAGOGY
WHAT: Expected of you, Framework, policy, Procedure
HOW: Knowledge, skills, Practice, Autonomy
Possibilities for Re-Envisioning the Early Childhood
Worker, Peter Moss: The Shifts and Changes
- 1980’s the early years of child development developed a higher profile on policy agenda,
nationally & internationally - Economic competition, childcare services a necessity, many households-dual income
- As the early years move up the policy agenda, so did the early years workforce advocacy
- The members/individuals providing the services are seen as essential to the success of early years programming
- Increasing recognition around quality programming, interconnected w/ training,
education, qualifications & working conditions- consistency & quality driving forces of discourse/conversation - Workforce dilemma recruit and retain, a qualified and diverse, gender-mixed workforce
- Restructure, rethink, re-envision (past 40 plus years)
The Current Early Years workforce
structure in Ontario…
CHILDCARE…UNDER 3:
- Lower qualifications
- Lower employment conditions
- Diff services (childcare, nursery, Early On,
FT, PT etc.)
- Separate polices for each program/service
- Multiple policy makers, boards
- Involves multiple job titles: practioner,
childminder, worker, babysitter, educator, ECE,
RECE, DECE …multiple roles
- Diff funding structures
EDUCATION…OVER 3:
- Higher qualifications
- Higher income and benefits (higher
employment/working conditions)
- 1 service- education
- 1 policy
- 1 employer, one board
- one job title/role: teacher
- Bigger class sizes
- More formalized
Dominant themes within the case studies
- Pedagogy & curriculum
- Eviro 3rd teacher
- Work misunderstood/ undervalued/underpaid
- Lack of professional recognition
- Relinquishing major decisions
- Professional practice
- Professional integrity
- Relationship b/w care & edu
Professional Identity… What are The Underpinnings
- ECE’s have had a historic struggle for recognition of their professionalism
- A traditional division between care and education
- An emerging strong consensus on the direct link between training, qualifications and ongoing professional development that contributes to professional identity and quality curriculum practices
- Professional identity is intertwined & interwoven in a broader societal discourse that is underpinned by values, personal qualities, ideology, relationships, status, training and qualifications
- Experiences have power to alter the way we think, communicate and act
- Experiences where positive professional practice is observed, enacted and re-enacted supports the development, understanding, sharing & implementation of common core principles that ultimately are at the heart of professional identity
Factors associated with the construction of professional identity
> Use of ideological effects to shape the discourse of the official (through social policy etc. to determine the potential treatment of children)
> Dynamic tension between macro and micro levels roles, relationships expectations
> Link between prevailing discourses and contemporary priorities and practices
> Influence of training, changing curriculum objectives and methods of assessment
