Our Board's Early Year Key Messages

What are the "must-haves" in Kindergarten?

What does "doing it right" look like?

It was questions like these, and SO MANY MORE, that led me to create the "Early Years Key Messages" (EYKM) poster for our board.  I felt we needed a document to bring us all together.   To give us a common vision that we could all take ownership of.   Not just classroom educators, but school administration as well.  So many of my colleagues would ask me what other schools were doing?  They wondered if their thinking was the same as others.  Did other teams do similar things?

This document was our way of thinking through, and making sense of the messages we are receiving from the Ministry of Education.  It was a way to honour the amazing work of educators in our board, and beyond.  It was a way to bring forward the very best of what we have seen, read about, or heard.

In a presentation I made earlier this year to new Kindergarten educators I shared my thoughts on Kindergarten.  It was just my ramblings that came to mind as I sat down one evening,  yet months later, I still find it rings true for me:

So often I have found myself watching.  I have the opportunity to be in many classrooms with my role, and I often just stand back and watch.  It is such a privilege to be able to do that.  Truly one of my favourite parts of my job.

Before I share the EYKM poster with you, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the hard work of my colleague, Jackie, who laboured with me through this initial process and was a constant sounding board, co-creator and researcher.  It was important to me that this document reflect not only my thinking, but the thinking of others.  Jackie was invaluable during this process.  We would also like to acknowledge our colleagues in the Ottawa Carleton District School Board who shared with us their resource, allowing us to build upon an excellent resource, and let it evolve into something new.  I would also like to acknowledge our kindergarten steering committee (comprised of teachers, an RECE, guidance counsellor, Principal and Vice-principal, Special Education consultant, technology coaches and curriculum consultants).  Each of them worked so diligently to give us feedback, offer suggestions, edit for clarity and offer different view points.  This document is truly a reflection of many minds.

Here it is!

You can download the PDF here.  My hope is that it is a resource that we can all find ourselves within, and yet be able to see a vision for moving forward.  I hope it sparks conversations, inquiries and professional dialogue.  In our board, we see this document as a "living document".  We are always challenging our thinking, refining our new learning and aiming to hear everyone's voice within it.

You will notice that the EYKM is divided into 6 sections.  No one section is intended to be greater than the other, in fact it is hard to talk about one section without touching upon others.  As you look through this poster I hope you continue to enjoy the "dance" that is Kindergarten :)

Talk again soon,
Carly