Practicum 1: Building relationships
Day 1/2:
On the first day of my practicum at Gateway Childcare Centre, my primary goal was to speak to every child at least once and learn their names. I believe that building positive, respectful relationships with children from the very start is crucial to make them feel valued and comfortable around me. To achieve this, I made a conscious effort to interact with each child individually, greeting them and engaging in short conversations. Since it was my first day and I had not yet known every child names to memory, I relied on their clothing as a helpful visual to help me remember. By noticing the patterns, colors, and designs on their clothes, I was able to associate each child with their outfit, which helped to remember their names throughout the day. This approach aligns with the BC ELF, which highlights the importance of fostering relationships through respectful interactions and recognizing each child’s individuality (BC ELF 2019). According to the ELF, “Children’s sense of self-worth and belonging is nurtured when adults make an effort to know and understand them as individuals” (BC ELF p. 12). By taking the time to engage with each child and learn their names, I was laying the foundation for meaningful relationships. Today I also tried to watch closely at the educators tasks and daily routine so that I can start helping them with tier tasks such as wiping tables and sweeping.
On my second day of practicum, I greeted every child by saying their name and hello, which helped strengthen our connection and made each child feel recognized. I also remembered a conversation I had with Copper the day before about his Elf on the Shelf, and I brought it up to him again, showing that I had listened and valued what he shared. Copper’s face lit up, and he seemed excited and heard, which reinforced our positive relationship. He was so happy to tell me about the silly things his elf had done this morning and was glad I remembered. This aligns with the BC ELF, which emphasizes the importance of “fostering warm, caring, and responsive relationships” that make children feel “valued and capable” (BC ELF p. 13). By remembering and engaging with Copper’s interests, I was supporting his emotional and social development while reinforcing his sense of belonging and self-worth. When the educators were trying the put the children down for their nap I remembered how after snack yesterday they swept the floor and wiped down the placemats and tables so I took it upon myself to do those tasks while they were busy. One other thing I did today was ask the children a lot of questions so that I could learn about them and things they are interested in. I also spent a lot of time just observing and one thing I noticed was how Elijah always brought his water bottle everywhere. I asked one of the educators about this and she explained to me how it was like a security blanket for him. One other thing I observed today is how two children love asking for help with everything, but when I encourage them and tell them how I think they are capable of doing it they gain more confidence and feel more confident; all they need is a bit of encouragement.
Day 3:
On my third day of practicum at Gateway Childcare Center, I had the opportunity to observe my mentor teacher using conflict mediation outside in the yard. One child wanted the firetruck, but another was already using it. My teacher calmly asked the child how he was feeling, acknowledging his emotions with a simple, “I can see you’re upset because you want the firetruck.” She then guided him to think of a solution by saying, “What could we do while we wait?” Together, they came up with the idea of pretending his dump truck was a fire truck. This intervention was a clear example of the conflict mediation strategies discussed in our Guidance class, particularly the importance of recognizing and validating children’s emotions and helping them develop solutions to resolve their conflicts. As Gartrell (2013) explains, “Children need to be taught how to manage their feelings and behaviors in a way that respects both themselves and others” (p. 104). Seeing this concept play out live deepened my understanding and broadened my perspective. Later, I had a conversation with Parker, who had been absent the previous day, about her experience of Christmas shopping with her dad. She had mentioned she wouldn’t be at childcare because of this, and it was nice to reconnect and hear about her experience. I also spoke with Cooper about his elf, continuing our previous discussion from Monday. These interactions reminded me of the BC ELF (Behavioral, Cognitive, Emotional, and Learning) framework we’ve been studying, particularly the importance of using positive reinforcement and emotional validation in everyday conversations with children. Another I tried today was helping put the children down for their nap and it gave me insight into the routines and care needed to support the children. Today we were also given the opportunity to look at some of the children’s care plans to get a better understanding of who each child is and how we can help them
Day 4/5:
Although I was nervous, I recognized the importance of family knowledge in early childhood education. Today, I took the opportunity to introduce myself to a parent as a practicum student. I also started a conversation with them to build a connection and learn more about their child’s background.
Today, I brought a book to class and read it during circle time. I read “The Serious Goose” by Jimmy Kimmel to my practicum group, using animated expressions and voice changes to keep the children engaged. As I read, I invited them to interact with the story by asking open-ended questions like, “What do you think will happen next?” and “Why do you think the goose looks so serious?” The children responded eagerly, making guesses and laughing at the goose’s antics. I encouraged them to share their thoughts on how they could make the goose laugh, fostering a sense of creativity and connection. By actively engaging them in the story, I created an enjoyable learning experience that strengthened our bond and sparked their curiosity. This connects to the BC ELF because it pushes the children to creat their own interpretations of stories through active participation “Children’s learning is supported when they are encouraged to explore, inquire, and make their own interpretations of the world around them” (BC ELF, p. 19). I also feel as though this book can help me in practicum to get a sense of what kind of classroom I’m in. The children I read to book to could be more shy and hold back when trying to make the goose laugh or on the other hand I could be in a classroom were The children are really extroverted and all want to engage with the book. This allows me the understand the children on a deeper level which will help me build deeper relationships with them. “Building positive, responsive relationships with children is essential to their development. These relationships are the foundation for learning and for developing a sense of belonging, well-being, and identity.” (BC ELF, p. 19)
Day 6:
Today I brought in materials to do a “make your own lava lamp” activity with the children. During our activity, I guided the children step-by-step, encouraging exploration and curiosity. We began by adding water, oil, and food coloring to bottles, observing how the liquids interacted. At each stage, I asked open-ended questions like, “What do you think will happen when we add the oil?” and “Why do you think the colors stay separate?” These questions invited thoughtful and critical thinking. I made sure not to rush the process, taking the time to listen to each child’s ideas and responses. This approach aligns with the BC ELF, which emphasizes the importance of fostering inquiry and promoting active participation in learning experiences. As the BC ELF states, “Educators nurture and sustain thoughtful dialogue by listening deeply and responding meaningfully to children’s thoughts and questions” (BC ELF 2019, p. 34). Through this activity, I upheld this principle by actively engaging in dialogue and valuing each child’s perspective, which supported their capacity for meaning-making. Today My mentor teacher also gave me a sheet with every child’s picture with questions like, What’s their name, favourite colour, who they live with and who they like to play with. Filling out this sheet really helped me see who I’ve really gotten to know and who I should have more conversation with.
Day 7/8
Today I was able to speak with a couple of the children about their families. I learned that Parker lives With her mom, dad and cat. She also has an older brother but he doesn’t live in Kamloops. Evie lives with her parents and has two cats. Cooper lives with his parents and his sister Gemma. I spoke with almost all the children and got to know who they live with, about their pets and favourite things to do.
On the eighth day of practicum, I truly felt a strong connection with the children as I immersed myself in their world of play. There was no hesitation and fully engaged in their imaginative games, listening to their ideas, following their lead, and building trust with them. The children hugged me, held my hand, and sat on my lap during circle time, showing the trust, safety, and strong relationships I had built with them throughout my first practicum. These simple yet meaningful gestures demonstrated their comfort and confidence in me, and it was a reminder of the importance of creating an environment where children feel supported. This first practicum at Gateway Childcare was incredibly important to me because it highlighted the value of building these strong, meaningful relationships in a childcare setting. Connecting with the children, families, and staff allowed me to develop trust. These connections taught me that relationships are the foundation for creating emotional growth, and a sense of belonging (BC ELF). This experience has solidified my understanding that taking the time to build these bonds is essential in being an ECE. I’m so grateful for everything that I’ve learnt so far and cannot wait to keep growing throughout the program.
Resources
British Columbia Ministry of Education. (2019). *British Columbia early learning framework*. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/early-learning
Gartrell, D. (2013). *Positive discipline in the classroom: Developing mutual respect, cooperation, and responsibility in your classroom* (4th ed.). Pearson.