On the Job with… Courtney Smith, Early Childhood Educator at JLM

To The Haldimand Press

CAYUGA—It’s first thing in the morning, before students arrive at JL Mitchener Public School, and Early Childhood Educator Courtney Smith is discussing launching an ice cream business with her teaching partner, Lisa Rowntree.

The ice cream stand is imaginary, but thinking through the logistics of where the kindergarten-student “customers” will line up, what they’ll use as currency to buy the fictitious treats, and where they’ll sit to enjoy them, requires planning and organizing behind the scenes.

“The ice cream stand is part of our dramatic centre, which changes into something new on a regular basis, and encourages playful learning where everyone has a role,” says Smith.

Smith is always thinking about how everyday items can be repurposed to enhance early years learning, and even though she’s been in this line of work since full-day kindergarten was introduced in 2010, she’s still amazed at the limitless bounds of the imaginations of the four and five-year-old students in her classroom.

“I brought in some hair curlers recently and wasn’t sure what they’d do with them, if anything,” she says. “They ended up using them as building materials.”

Smith’s role is to support the learning and development of the youngest students in Grand Erie. Her classroom provides an introduction to concepts in literacy and numeracy, which will prepare them for a smooth transition into Grade 1 and beyond.

“I always knew I wanted to work with children; I was the babysitter who showed up with the bucket of toys to keep them engaged and active,” says Smith, who grew up in Fisherville and attended Rainham Central School and Cayuga Secondary School before going on to Niagara College.