Practice Possibilities: When Pedagogical Commitments Meet Practice
What happens when Pedagogical Commitments are tested by the realities of daily life in infant/toddler childcare settings?
Through a conversation grounded in lived experience, we will examine catalytic moments that invite us to question assumptions, negotiate practice, and reaffirm our core values.
At UBC Child Care, pedagogical commitments guide us to engage with social and ecological justice—including equity, decolonization, sustainability, and relational ethics—through a feminist ethics of care that encompasses human, non-human, and non-living kin.
This 2-hour online Learning Circle offers educators with perspectives to navigate moments of uncertainty in everyday practice. Participants will explore what is negotiable and non-negotiable in decision-making, learning how challenges can ultimately deepen ethical practice.
By the end of the session, educators will feel more confident engaging with the ethical and relational dimensions of their pedagogical work.
Please note: A letter of participation will be available for those who require one
Connections with Practice
Participants will engage with:
- How specific Pedagogical Commitments are lived in an infant/toddler setting.
- Catalytic moments that challenge and deepen practice.
- What is negotiable and non-negotiable in pedagogical decision-making.
- How educators co-create meaningful ways of living and learning alongside others.
- Reflective practices to strengthen alignment between pedagogical values and everyday actions.
Facilitators
Angela Chiasson
Senior Educator ECE, ITE | UBC Child Care
For more than five years, Angela has led a team of five Infant and Toddler Educators, fostering a leadership approach grounded in relationships, collaboration, and mutual learning. She is committed to empowering educators to engage in ongoing inquiry and learning alongside children, creating environments that value curiosity, reflection, and growth.
Angela’s interest in social justice and gender equity began during her experience as a Katimavik volunteer, where placements across Canada exposed her to diverse communities and perspectives. This commitment deepened further following the birth of her son in 2022, prompting continued reflection on the social structures and norms that shape our experiences. Angela’s practice critically examines the ways in which societal expectations become normalized and explores opportunities to intentionally challenge and disrupt inequitable assumptions, fostering more inclusive and equitable learning environments
Melanie Walters
Program Manager/Pedagogist MA, BA | UBC Child Care
In her current role, Melanie serves as a mentor and pedagogical leader across a portfolio of eight childcare settings, fostering collaborative relationships with educators and children. Grounded in pedagogical commitments, she supports processes of inquiry that cultivate curiosity, critical thinking, and meaningful engagement with materials, place-based contexts, ideas, and more-than-human relationships.
Drawing on common worlding pedagogies and theories of material relations, Melanie works to challenge dominant narratives and practices within early childhood education. Through collaborative inquiry and reflective practice, she co-constructs innovative possibilities for reimagining early learning environments in ways that are responsive, inclusive, and socially just. She finds particular inspiration in creating opportunities for educators and children to think, learn, and transform their understandings together.
