October 24: Child Care Worker & Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day

This year marks the 12th anniversary of this awareness day which recognizes the education, skills, commitment and dedication of Child Care Workers and Early Childhood Educators.

Many children, families and communities benefit from the work of child care workers.  Early Childhood Educators support the students of the Toronto District School Board in our Full Day Kindergarten program:

• Assess children’s developmental needs and stages in all developmental domains; 
• Design curriculum to address children’s identified needs, stages of development and interests;
• Plan programs and environments for play and activities that help children make developmental progress;
• Maintain healthy emotional and social learning contexts for children; and
• Report to parents and supervisors on children’s developmental progress within healthy, safe, nurturing and challenging play environments.

Early childhood educators work in a variety of settings including, but not limited to: infant, toddler and preschool (including child care and nursery school) programs; before- and after- school programs, kindergartens and primary grade classrooms; special education and intervention programs; Ontario Early Years Centres; Head Start programs, family supports; home child care programs; parent/child/caregiver drop-in programs, pediatric playrooms and health care settings.