Advancing the Profession: Sharing and Caring

Federations and associations in the area of early childhood education often have political aims. This is a good thing, says Sharon Larkins of the Tender Beginnings Child Care Centre in Nanaimo, but there are plenty of good reasons to get together with other early childhood educators.

For the last 19 years, Larkins has been a member of a group called Sharing and Caring. "We wanted to be able to connect with everybody, educators working in big centres and educators working with only a few kids in a home setting and everything in between."

The group's philosophy is in its name. "The sharing part means openly discussing what we do. The caring part means listening respectfully and sympathetically."

The issues the group deals with stem from the educators themselves. "Whatever comes up," says Larkins. "It could be as simple as brainstorming about what to do at circle time when one of the children does something disruptive."

There are a number of ground rules for the group. "We respect the four walls rule: anything said is to be said in expectation of confidence."

And there is another kind of confidence. "This is a tricky one, but it is so easy to betray the confidence of your children and parents." The hazardous situation is the hypothetical example of the story that seems to have enough details disguised that people won't be able to figure it out. "We have to keep reminding ourselves that in a community people know all sorts of things and can easily pick up little clues people don't realize they are leaving," says Larkins. "My personal rule is not to tell these sorts of stories and always deal in generalities. That is where you really need the input from others."

The meetings are held in various centres. There is no pressure to host but if people have the room and want to do so, the group is eager to go. "People are proud of their centres," says Larkins.

Each meeting is built around food and discussion. "We generally have about 20 people show up. Students are also welcome to attend and take part in the discussion."

"We usually begin in one group all together," she says. If the discussion isn't happening that night, members can simply socialize.

In recent years, attendance had dropped but just lately it has revitalized, Larkins adds, although she is not sure why. "Nobody is trying to drive any cause or issue. It could be just that people who work with the direct care of children don't get many other opportunities to talk like this."