When I started my work as an Early Childhood Educator I knew (for the most part) what to expect. I was able to learn the ins and outs of the role through co-op placements, internships, and eventually through the role as a permanent educator. All of these experiences had the same general layout even down to the daily routines, expectations for documentation, and curriculum planning. At the beginning of this year I can confidently say I was in the "groove" of this whole educator thing. I felt the field would inevitably change as we progressed with new ways of thinking, but for the most part it would remain the same. Cue the record scratch as the pandemic hits and everything I thought I knew about my role is now thrown up into the air, and I'm really not sure where it will land, or if it even will.
During my time at home I have been able to come to terms with the fact that I am not coming back to the same job, children, or even co-workers that I once had. The pandemic has changed us all in ways we still can't fully understand, so we can not come back as the same people we were beforehand. Therefore, the job we had no longer exists it too has to change and adapt to what is now needed from these changed people.
When we return to work our first priority will be safety because we want our adults and children to be the healthiest they can be. Before any children set foot into the centre it will be cleaned and sanitized meticulously each morning. The materials we used to have in our rooms such as plush toys and wicker baskets will be replaced with more "easy to clean" items. The room layout may even change to allow for more separated play and to discourage large groups of children from convening in the same area. We will have to consider the way in which children will play with the toys we set out, and if this play may result in the rapid spread of germs.
The centre is now ready to begin the day and we must prepare ourselves to screen parents and children. We have our list of symptoms to look for and a thermometer in hand. We wear PPE as we prepare to check each person. Our once casual morning greeting is now an assessment of health that we somehow have to make friendly and fun. Perhaps we do a little dance or make a song we sing together while we check their overall health at a distance. Parents say their goodbyes at the screening station as we take the child into the classroom. Some parents and children will have to be told to return home because they have a runny nose, something we usually would not even bat an eye at.
The children who will be here for the day are now in their small groups, or "pods." We have carefully planned the day to stagger meal and outdoor times to avoid large groups of children being together. Now that I am with my small group I must consider what they need emotionally, socially, and cognitively. What did their family go through while we were apart? How will this effect their needs? While we have been focusing on physical wellbeing during this time, we now must also heavily focus on their mental wellbeing and how the pandemic has/will effect them. For example, I think about the impact this pandemic has had on infants who need to be able to physically see other human faces to begin to comprehend emotion and get feedback to their attempts at communication. I then think about how everyone has been wearing masks that cover most of their face. Children will most definitely be impacted by this lack of exposure to facial expressions, the effects of which we will be seeing as we continue to work with these children over time. We will need to find ways in which we provide exposure to facial expressions and emotion with our own faces, or if masks are being worn we can use other visuals such as photos or video. These suggestions are nothing new as we already did this previously, but there is an emphasis on the importance of doing so in a time where faces are often hidden behind a mask.
Another thing we will need to consider is how documentation will look. We have not seen these children for months, if ever, so we will need to consider ways in which we can tell stories about connection in a time where we can feel very disconnected. Normally, we would be spending lots of time with the same children on a consistent schedule which allowed us to document their experiences and relationships in a somewhat predictable manner. Now, we may be with them on a very inconsistent basis so we will need to find ways in which we adapt and think "outside the box" of what we once knew documentation to be. The use of the internet and technology will become very important as we find new ways to document children, which is something that can feel foreign in the world of early childhood education.
I have been thinking about the scenario I will be entering upon returning to work, and it's not something I ever planned on doing. I didn't enter this field thinking I would have to be separating children into small groups to avoid contagion, screening people, second-guessing giving a child a hug, communicating with children via a computer, and constantly worrying about my own health and the health of others. I have had the thought, "Do I want to be an ECE anymore?" I felt so ashamed for even thinking such a thing because I love working with children, and I think the fact that I love working with children so much is the reason I have had this thought. I want to give them the best childhood experiences and support their learning, but I wondered if I would be able to do that given this new reality we live in? In writing this I want you to know that if you have had similar thoughts, you are not alone and you don't need to be ashamed. We are scared that we will not be able to do the job we originally set out to do and that is a very overwhelming thought to process. You are allowed to feel the way you do. Some of us will return to work and figure out how we are going to continue our career as an ECE in this "new normal", and others will choose a different career. Whatever you choose there is no judgement and I want you to know as a fellow educator I support your decision.
I hope this helps you feel like you are not alone during this time of uncertainty. If you enjoyed reading this subscribe to my mailing list to be notified when I share new posts. Thanks for reading!