By: Diane Kashin, Ed. D, RECE. I use this blog to share reflections and musings about the practice of early childhood education. In a recent post, The Broken Circle: Rethinking the Practice of Circles in Early Learning I wrote about a topic that fascinated me as a beginning teacher. Currently, circles continue to spiral in and out … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed. D, RECE. I wrote a blog post last fall about themes in early learning, expressing surprise/concern that they were still a thing! It has become one of my most shared posts reflecting that, indeed there are those who continue the practice. I have always found the use of themes to be … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed. D, RECE. When I taught introductory early childhood education courses, I presented developmental domains by raising my hand. One by one, I would count down the big five, cognitive, social, emotional, language and physical which I would divide into gross and fine motor. Lately, I have been wondering about other domains … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed. D, RECE. I have written about early childhood education basics such as blocks, art and dramatic play before. By basics I mean that these are experiences that are essential and should be commonplace in every early learning environment both indoors and outdoors. By no means though, are these experiences simple. Rather, … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed. D, RECE. It was in 2015 that the York Region Nature Collaborative offered the first Rhythm of Learning in Nature which is an opportunity for like-minded educators to come together to experience nature in dialogue with the Reggio Emilia Approach and influenced by forest school practices and Indigenous ways of knowing. … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed. D, RECE. and Rosalba Bortolotti, RECE. What does it mean to be responsive? The dictionary defines responsiveness as acting quickly and positively. We often speak of responsive relationships in early childhood education. Our province’s early learning framework, Early Learning for Every Child Today was based on principles that included Principle 6: Knowledgeable, responsive, … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE and Cindy Green, RECE. In the Reggio Emilia preschools, the space encourages encounters, communication, and relationships. Such care is taken in the preparation of the environment that it acts as a third teacher. For decades we have worked with early learning students who were required to do placements. When we … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. Have you ever heard something that you felt was so profound that years and years later, you remember what it was and where you were? It was twelve years ago, when I first met Margie Carter and Deb Curtis and heard them speak at a conference I helped organize in … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed. D, RECE. Young children have the capacity for scientific thinking and learning. Science, I would suggest is the root of the stem. Scientific skills such as observing, describing, comparing, questioning, predicting, experimenting, reflecting, and cooperating are core concepts that support learning in all areas. However, when I reflect back on the … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. The Rhythm of Learning in Nature is a professional knowledge retreat held every summer at beautiful Swan Lake in York Region, Ontario. It is an intensive six days of connectiveness to nature and is designed for adults and children. As the children play in the meadow and the forest, the … Continue reading
