A FULL DAY OF LEARNING

On November 27, 2007 Premier McGuinty made his announcement regarding a Full Day of Learning. He appointed Charles Pascal as adviser to spearhead plans to phase in a Full Day of Early Learning starting in 2010.

Dr. Pascal completed a tour of Ontario, consulting with experts in the field of Early Development, parents and others responsible for the care and well-being of children. He viewed various models already in place.

Dr. Pascal asked for input on how they envisioned a Full Day of Early Learning and he used this to shape his recommendations to Premier McGuinty.

In June 2009 these recommendations were revealed in a report entitled ,“With Our Best Future in Mind.” This report addresses full-day learning in the broader context of a seamless and integrated system to support children from 0-12 years old and their families.

For more information on Ontario's Early Learning Program, please visit  www.ontario.ca/earlylearning.

A Typical Day

7:30-8:30 a.m. – Early childhood educators employed by Whitehills Childcare Association provide play opportunities and snack as the children arrive.

8:30-8:55a.m. – Children dress and go outside allowing the kindergarten team of teacher and early childhood educator time to set up the classroom. On rainy days children are supervised in the pod or lunch room.

8:55 a.m. - The kindergarten teacher and the early childhood educator provide Kindergarten through a team approach. Kindergarten curriculum is combined with the emergent curriculum. During gym and library time the kindergarten teacher and both the early childhood educators use prep time to plan the kindergarten program together.

11:30 a.m. - 12:00p.m. - The 2nd early childhood educator arrives in the classroom and helps the children settle for lunch. The kindergarten teacher leaves for the day.

12:00-6:00 p.m. - The children are involved in emergent play based learning activities and projects with the early childhood educators. Concepts from kindergarten are incorporated in the child care programming.

PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS SCREENING

TVDSB:

Average score out of 66:

Percentage of Students Designated as "Have Skill":

STEP BY STEP CLASS:

Average score out of 66:

Percentage of Students Designated as "Have Skill":

Feedback from Parents/ Guardians

There were 16 out of 20 respondents. Parents commented overwhelmingly on the consistency of the environment and teachers and RECEs as beneficial to the learning process for their children. Many indicated that the program had been positive and their children had improved in a variety of skills including communication and reading skills. One parent explains that “there is so much room for creative expression and allowing children to pursue their interests” and another says that their child “loves to stay in school.”

Feedback from the Step by Step Staff

Many staff respondents discussed the consistency (i.e. the lack of transitions) within the program, which subsequently cuts down on behaviour and anxiety issues. This allows for more learning time. Students are positively impacted by the program when they feel safe and comfortable. One staff member sums up the program, “Transitions for the children have been reduced as adults are the ones who transition in and out of the room and the children become very much like a family, building strong bonds with their consistent classmates.”

Feedback from the Children

Two students gave feedback. They listed a variety of activities that they enjoyed in both the morning and afternoon including crafts, stories and outdoor play. It is important to note that the children considered the morning and afternoon to be interchangeable parts of the day. This is interesting because students recognize the fluidity of the school day that their teacher and RECE work together to provide. The students commented on the many relationships they had developed at school. They were noticeably pleased to spend the entire day together and one student said that it was “so comfy” highlighting the comfort and ease that they felt in the program on a daily basis.

The Provincial Early Learning Program

• Starting in September 2010, Ontario will implement the first phase of a province-wide Early Learning Program (ELP) with an extended full-day of learning for four and five year olds;
• Four and five year olds will learn under the guidance of a teacher and an early childhood educator ECE. Parents may also enrol their child for extended hours for a fee, before and after regular school hours.
• To implement the phased-in program, the Province will invest $200 million in 2010-11 and $300 million in 2011-12 with the goal to fully implement the ELP in all schools by the 2015-16 school year;
• The program will operate on the 10 month (September to June) school year schedule and parents will have the option of enrolling their child(ren) in an extended before and after-school program funded by parent fees with subsidies available.

A Changing Landscape

• Passing of Bill 242:
  - Requires boards to deliver full day JK/SK programs;
  - Requires boards to deliver extended day programs for four and five year olds on instructional days; and,


• Over the next 5 years all 4 and 5 year olds will be leaving the child care system. The only exception is that boards can partner with third parties for the non- instructional days.
• Boards can partner with child care programs in providing before and after programs for 6-12 year olds.
• Responsibility for child care will be moving from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services to the Ministry of Education under the Early Years Division. This will be done in two phases with policy and program transferring immediately and licensing and management following by Fall 2010.
• Ontario Government will begin to work on Child and Family Centres immediately. Dr. Charles Pascal will act as an Advisor to Minister Broten on structure and planning of Child and Family Centres.
• There will be transition funding made available to municipalities to assist child cares affected by the Early Learning Programs. Allocation for 2010 will be approximately $6 million and will grow to $51 million over 5 years. London received $182,000, $152,300 operating and $29,900 capital.
  

What's Next?

• All our programs will continue to do the amazing work Whitehills is known for.
• We will begin to develop new ways to offer programs
• We will develop a marketing strategy to encourage more families to bring their 2 - 3 year olds to our child care centres.
• We will continue to offer the Step by Step classroom, in fact our parents are demanding it.
• We will offer an additional seamless classroom beginning September 2010 for our JK/SK children. We will continue to model the value of working in partnership.
• The Pre-school Early Learning Program (PELP) will be introduced to the Wilfrid Jury community. This will be a half day program for children 2.6 - 4 years operated by Whitehills with a once a week drop-in program component offered in partnership with the school and community.
• We will continue to advocate for children 0 - 4 years, the value of partnership and the need for equitable wages for RECEs working in child care and look to new opportunities that arise from this change.
  

Visit the the Thames Valley District School Board web site to view a Step by Step video. (Scroll down page. Video link is on the right side.)

For more information about Step by Step or to arrange a tour please email Diane Gordon.