Master of Education (MEd) – Online Cohort
I currently live and play on Treaty 1 territory which is the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Anishininewuk, Dakota Oyate, Denesuline and Nehethowuk Nations and the homeland of the Red River Metis. I am an instructor at the Red River College Polytechnic in Winnipeg, Manitoba in the Early Childhood Education Workplace Program. Before pursuing academics and teaching at the College I worked in licensed childcare centres for about a decade, and with at-risk youth for several years prior to that.
I am most comfortable in the outdoors. I grew up around campfires, climbing trees, playing with mud, and exploring forests. I have felt the most comfortable with child-led, emergent curriculum in outdoor environments where the land, natural loose parts, and natural risk affordances are plentiful.
Outdoor pedagogy, nature play, risky play, gender equity, and playground design have been focuses of mine in my past studies within ECE, although my first BA was in Sociology/Conflict Resolution Studies. Therefore, I enjoy looking at the long-term impacts of our decisions in ECE upon society.
Firstly, I want to stay current with up-to-date research and movements in the profession. Coming up out of the Covid-era, and teaching online from my home office for 2 years has left me feeling disconnected to the ECE world. I want to meet, learn from, and dialogue with ECEs across the country and connect with the others during a monumental time in our profession nationally.
I also chose to pursue further education in ECE now because I see a lot of potential in where we are going as an ECE profession. I want to be a part of the changes and involved in the process of building the National ECE infrastructure. This is best done with some post-nominal letters behind my name and a resume that demonstrates higher education.