May 17th Minutes
Our first meeting of the summer semester welcomed Antje, a new member. We discussed our plans for the club throughout the summer. We came up with a number of questions that could provoke our thinking and be posted on the blog:
What do we want to do with this club? –articles? –people? –an idea?
What would you like the ECCE club to be?
How has your last year of education changed your practice/ how you see the world?
How do you incorporate what you're learning into your practice when there is a difference of philosophy?
These questions helped inspire conversation about the benefits and challenges of practicum- where there is an opportunity for more freedom in many ways- as we are expected to try new things and integrate new theories- and less freedom, when we come up against a difference of philosophy or a division of position between the student and the educator.
This discussion helped us to recognize a desire for our club to find ways to take on an advocacy role in the ECCE community. We discussed how, as students in the new degree program, we have the opportunity to bring a different voice to the field of ECCE. We can bring discussion about thoughtful, academic practice to the ECCE field and begin to trouble the barriers that divide the ECCE students from the practicing ECCE's. We can help bridge the knowledge and practice that is being introduced in the new ECCE degree and trouble the divisions of theory and practice, academic institutions and the working field. We hope to bring more of our discussions about an advocacy to role to the meeting with the North Shore branch of ECEBC in the near future.
We also passed a vote to elect Lucy Angus, club liaison as current president of the club. There was further discussion about other positions within the club, but we have decided to hold off on electing other executive club members until the fall when everyone will have a better idea of what they can commit to with their course and workloads determined. We also hope to gain new members in September who may have more time to commit to specific positions in the club.
June 29th, 2010 Minutes
On Tuesday June 29th, I met with members of the North Shore branch of ECEBC. The meeting contained discussion about ways our clubs can support one another and have an ongoing partnership. We discussed the club’s interest in hosting speakers and in taking an advocacy role. The North Shore branch is looking for a student representative to join their branch as a member at large or some other position they could put their name forward for. It is also possible that a different member of our club could attend each of the 4 meetings held by the ECEBC branch and we could share the responsibilities of the student rep with all group members. The annual general meeting for the North Shore branch will be held in august and it is hoped that the student representative could attend this. In light of the new ECCE degree program, this partnership would allow for more communication between the work being done with the degree and members of the wider ECCE community. It is also an opportunity for networking for the club and particularly for the student representative. If our club was to have a student representative in the North Shore ECEBC – the North Shore branch of ECEBC could support us to invite speakers by allowing us to choose or have a big voice in the selection of a speaker that they could host (they would charge an entrance fee to redeem costs).
The North Shore ECEBC holds four meetings each year- 2 of these include workshops and give hours.
Here is the information from the minutes of the meeting that ECEBC provided.
“At this time, we would like to invite the ECCE student club to consider having a rep on the ECEBC North Shore branch board. The last student representative to sit on the ECEBC North Shore board was in 1996. The board at that time felt that it was important that there be representation from future educators. Since that time, it has been difficult to recruit students as there were no supports in place to provide those opportunities. Ever since we were informed about the creation of the Student club, we felt that this was the right time to approach and propose again the creation of a position for a student rep.
I would like to invite discussion now and be open for ideas on how the North Shore branch might support the ECCE club. I would like to collect Email communication contact information if you widh to be informed of upcoming branch meetings and workshops, ECEBC provincial office communication, and updates on any community tables/committees that a North Shore ECEBC rep is sitting on.
Current tables/ committees- Capilano University Advisory Committee, North Shore Community Resources board, North Shore Early Childhood Conference Committee.
The branch has funds to pay for speakers. Students could have the role of organizing speakers, venue. Our only requirement is that we charge workshop fees to break even in order to pay for the speaker and refreshments. We are thinking of holding meetings at other centres and students may consider that a form of networking and meeting with potential employers/mentors.”
Ana Vojnovic is the acting chair of the North Shore branch and a branch chair will be selected at the AGM.
Please let me know if you are interested in being the student representative for the North Shore branch of ECEBC or if you are interested in attending one of the branches meetings this coming year.
Saturday, November 27, 2010 at 2:26PM 