Submission #2298

How do I begin to write about the role of pedagogical support and what it means to centres on Prince Eduward Island? First, I want to start with how I find myself in a unique situation where I just came home from a five day international conference with 47 countries being represented from around the world. We spent the days exploring the image of the child, environments as the third teacher, the importance of connections, and how crucial it is for all citizens to be part of their communities. I felt uplifted and proud of our little island, how our government chose to invest in our youngest citizens in 2010 (with Early Year Centre designations) and to further support our centres with funding in 2022 for pedagogical support.

According to the contract between the province and early years centres, pedagogical support is to be utilized to assist with practices designed to enhance quality programming, etc. Pedagogical support is a necessity for foundational work in quality care and education that is not only necessary but expected by our province. In the last sixteen years the expectations on centres and on our educators have only increased, resulting in better outcomes for children. With pedagogical support educators are given:
• the time to observe, record, and document:
• time to collaborate, discuss, research, and create experiences:
• time to do PreK profiles for children moving on to kindergarten and to implement the Assessment of Quality Improvement tool (regulated by the Dept. of Education and Early Learning);
• giving real time for professional sensitivity to provide nurturing relations, especially with the rise of emotional dysregulation in our society.

As we all begin to age, we begin to see how precious time is and how it should never be taken for granted. By taking away funding towards pedagogical support our government is in turn taking away the gift of time that not only our children deserve but it is their fundamental right.