Parker Pirso, Toronto Metropolitan University EarlyOn and Family Centre

What was your initial reaction to working with children in this placement?

Through this placement, I learned that I am capable and confident in working with both children and their families. While I initially felt more comfortable engaging solely with children, I soon realized the value of involving parents in a meaningful way.  I learned to step outside of my comfort zone by fostering deeper connections with families and recognizing their individuality beyond their caregiving roles. This helped me build stronger relationships and create a more supportive, inclusive atmosphere. 

How did you overcome these hurdles — and what did you learn about yourself and your practice? 

At the start of my placement, engaging with parents was a challenge for me as I was only interacting with families in passing. I could only think of surface-level questions to ask the families and the result was often a brief conversation that would fizzle out.

My field educator suggested that I try something new. After the families got settled into programming, she suggested that I re-introduce myself to the child and proceed to play and interact with them. While playing with the child I would begin to ask their guardian open-ended questions about the child which often resulted in them opening up on a deeper level about their child and their experiences with their child. This strategy was very successful since it helped me establish myself as a trusted member of the center. As a result of this experience, I learned that building relationships is not just about learning about others, but also about being open and sharing parts of yourself to create a more balanced, reciprocal connection.

How did this field experience influence your plans for working in the early childhood sector?

Learning about the diverse families and lived experiences of children and families has given me a deeper understanding of how to support children's well-being and learning in a classroom environment. This experience has positioned me well for future placements and my journey into teacher's college.