A System of Love

Before I travelled to Italy my practice and beliefs for children were in place; I felt grounded in my world and confident in my career thus far. My values and beliefs continued to evolve through my personal commitment to learning and I was excited to take these experiences on my journey to Reggio Emilia, as […]

Stepping into Clay….

We placed a big table cloth on the floor for children to explore clay using their feet, knees, elbows and hands. As we stood back and watched the children examine the clay, we could tell they were hesitant to jump right in. We discussed the importance of getting to know clay with our bodies before […]

Time for ACTION – Compass ELC’s Response to Phase Two Regulatory Proposal

On February 1, 2016, the Ministry of Education released its Phase Two Regulatory Proposal under the Child Care and Early Years Act. The proposed regulations will place younger children in larger groups, create more burden on Early Childhood Educators and program sustainability, and result in higher fees for parents. (Compass ELC estimates fee increases of […]

Strengthening Intergenerational Friendships Through Play

As I stand off to the side in the Atrium at Princess Gardens, I can’t help but notice the many similarities of the participants in front of me.  All are smiling, laughing, asking each other questions. All hands are covered in a sticky mixture of bird seed and Peabutter.  All are working together, no one […]

Children remind us to not abandon our senses in the digital age

Whenever I have the opportunity to share the amazing culture and the inspiring ways the people of Reggio Emilia engage with children and each other, I do. I was given the incredible opportunity to participate in a Canadian Study Tour in Reggio Emilia, Italy in May 2015. I had often read about this mystical place […]

Believing in the Unbelievable

While visiting La Villetta Municipal Preschool in Reggio Emilia with fellow Canadian study tour participants, we had the opportunity to explore the school’s outdoor play space. An invitation immediately caught my eye. I was drawn to the area, excited as the children were on that day when they ventured outside to see what welcomed them. […]

Inspiring Children Through My Passion for Music

Why did I make the decision to incorporate music into our program? Why do I feel music is one of the best ways for children to express themselves? Seeing children playing instruments in our program, using their iPods to look up songs to dance to, and hearing them sing and hum while they are playing, […]

Ladybugs Through Children’s Eyes – How Their Interests Inspire Our Curriculum

As I watched the children from our St. Anne School Age Program explore outside I noticed many were captivated by the ladybugs crawling all over the wall of the school. I stood back to watch as the children examined them closely and listened as conversations transpired. I soon realized the children knew a lot about […]

Peterborough child care company awarded $85,000 for job-creation project

Compass Early Learning Centre rebranded, expanded thanks to a grant from Community Futures Development Corporation Read the full article from Peterborough This Week            

Reggio Emilia Through My Eyes – An Educator’s Experience

When the chance to visit Reggio Emilia Italy through a Canadian study tour was offered to the staff of Compass ELC, I knew it was the right time for me to jump in with both feet. This was my time to think deeper, take chances and fully commit myself to this organization and the children […]