At a time when the need for early childhood educators is greater than ever, the Early Childhood Education (ECE) department of Vanier College organized a conference at Vanier in the fall to celebrate this important field of education. Entitled "The Power of Caring: Celebrating the Early Childhood Education Profession" this first-time ever event featured guest speakers, lunch, a raffle and a chance to network with specialists in the field. Educators, administrators, program graduates, and students gathered to share knowledge and above all celebrate the importance and value of their profession. The conference was part of an on-going campaign of videos, posters, publicity and promotion, that Vanier initiated in 2023 to promote the vital profession of Early Childhood Education.
Keynote speaker Hal Hannaford, a lifelong educator who was a Headmaster in Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS) for 31 years and co-founded the CAIS Leadership Institute, where he taught for 20 years, launched the event in the morning. Mr. Hannaford addressed an important concern that the Early Childhood Education Department is focused on: the need to attract more young men to the education profession. Indeed, he spoke about his experience as a teacher in all-boys schools and shared his perspective on being an educator. He explained how educators can function as a positive role model and help children challenge and overcome harmful gender stereotypes, such as the belief that boys should not show their emotions. He emphasized the indispensable work of educators, particularly those that work with young children, in fostering respect and inclusivity across genders.
Reacting to Hal Hannaford's presentation, Donna Skea, Vanier Early Childhood Education teacher and fieldwork supervisor, had this to say. "The early childhood profession is predominantly a female profession, but time and time again we have seen the importance of males in the field. What we know, and the research backs us, is that having males in early childhood settings can help to counteract stereotypes, promote gender equity and provide children with different perspectives on learning and relationships."
Next, counsellor, author, and coach Gail Markin spoke about her commitment to promoting well-being in the education workplace. She is the author of Beyond Self-Care: Leading a Systemic Approach to Well-being for Educators where she combines learning from both research and practice to support educators and leaders with practical ideas to create well-being in their organizations.
Gail Markin shared her approach to fostering well-being in educational workplaces that centers on addressing 3 key levels: self, other and system. She led a workshop where she shared key strategies, exercises and examples of diagnosing and addressing barriers to well-being in reference to these factors. Given that many of the educators who leave the profession feel worn down by the challenges they face every day, Ms Markin's approach, which is echoed in the training given by the Vanier ECE program, reinforced the tools necessary to support teachers in the profession. In fact, self-care is a vital part of preparing young people for this fundamental profession that ensures children get off to a good start physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually.
Vanier College is the only English Cegep that offers a 3-year college diploma in Early Childhood Education, that teaches children's development from social, educational, neuro-cognitive, and psychological perspectives and prepares young people to work with children up to the age of 12. Graduates obtain qualifications to launch their career and their own business, and are fully qualified to work, in educational and administrative positions in pre-schools, CPEs, licensed daycares and after-school programs.
