One of the College’s key objectives is to contribute to the development of a resilient and sustainable profession. Supporting our members and their well-being is a critical component of that. As care-based professionals, RECEs have many important and demanding responsibilities and regularly put the needs of others ahead of their own. Fatigue and burnout are important concerns. In addition, RECEs from equity-deserving groups carry cultural and emotional burdens which may not be well-understood by, or top-of-mind for, others.
As part of our conversation series highlighting Black history and excellence, we continue the important dialogue with Tonja Armstrong-MacInnis, Deirdra Joseph and Nicole Cummings-Morgan, who are co-leads of the Community of Black ECEs, a Care Collective of the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario (AECEO). Formed at the height of the pandemic when the world grappled with the murder of George Floyd, the Community of Black ECEs filled a need for Black RECEs across Ontario, providing a space where Black RECEs could come together to share their stories, experiences, ideas and resources.
In this discussion, we learn about the impact of fatigue and burnout on the well-being of Black RECEs.
In a profession challenged by educator fatigue and burnout, how and why is the mental toll different among Black RECEs?
Nicole: “Fatigue and burnout impact Black RECEs’ mental health differently because most RECEs who are not Black struggle with not feeling valued, being underpaid, and disappointed in a system that doesn’t see the importance of quality early childhood experiences. Black RECEs feel all of these things WHILE feeling overlooked for job promotions, and hearing micro-aggressive comments made by coworkers, families, and sometimes even children. I remember in one of our [Community of Black ECEs] meetings, an RECE shared that a child told her to wash her hands. She said she looked at her hands to see what the child was referring to and when she said to the child, ‘What do you mean? There’s nothing on my hands,’ the child said, yes, pointing to her skin, ‘Your hands are Black, they’re dirty.’ Imagine. Imagine hearing this from a four or five-year-old.
I also remember one member sharing that the parents in a kindergarten public school would not drop their child off unless the Caucasian teacher was there. Thankfully, the teacher was an ally who shut that down!
For me, I remember when I first started working in the kindergarten program. The area was predominantly European. The educator would treat the children in a way that went against all of what I had known from the Code of Ethics & Standards of Practice, How Does Learning Happen?, ELECT and more. I remember feeling so horrible that I couldn’t do more to advocate for them because I was the only Black educator in the space. And believe it or not, being the only Black educator made me feel powerless. I felt like I had no one to talk to. I felt like I was alone. When I did finally share how I felt, my manager started treating me poorly – that’s the short story. Let’s just say that until this day, if I were to see that individual, my body would respond to the trauma that was associated to that experience. As a person of faith, I was blessed and received the request that I asked for.
“So, when non-Black RECEs are complaining about the challenges in the profession, we can join in and appreciate this, and even feel a great connection as we suffer together in a profession that we all love. And yet, while we can definitely feel a sense of camaraderie in sharing the challenges and lack of recognition faced by all RECEs, it’s important to remember that Black and racialized RECEs bear an additional mental health toll tied to experiences of racism and microaggressions that their Caucasian peers do not. And, no, it’s not a competition, it is OUR reality!”
Deirdra: “I believe that for many Black RECEs, stereotypes, microaggressions and cultural misunderstanding add to the already challenging environment of early childhood education. At times, you cannot be your authentic self because it may not be accepted in the work environment and may be viewed negatively. For example, a non-Black person has the freedom to get angry and not concern themselves with being labeled ‘aggressive’, ‘rude’ or ‘unprofessional’. Everyone gets angry at work. But when you also have to concern yourself about being labelled, which is often the case in the Black community, it can be emotionally draining and affect your mental health over time.”
Tonja: “With the rise in hate crimes, in a world that has an increase in everyday living expenses and stress – life is difficult for many. There are everyday struggles that can make you feel like you are not valued or do not deserve to be heard. This can limit your experiences in the world and put an added burden on your life and those who you care for. In addition, when folks say things like, “History is in the past – it is time to move on,” they do not understand that the past impacts the present, and there is healing that needs to be done. Trauma-informed pedagogy is important to be aware of and practice in our programs for colleagues, children and families. If we treat others in a manner that is unkind or unfair, and then you, as a Black person need to explain to someone why that treatment is not okay, it is exhausting.
We need to continually learn – we are at a time when information is accessible like never before, so if folks do not take the time to be informed, it sends the message that your identity is not important. It is hard to fill another’s cup when yours is running on empty.”
It is crucial to continue encouraging and facilitating discussions, education and awareness for all members, in order to be strong allies to RECEs belonging to equity-deserving groups.
For employers and RECEs who are looking to deepen their understanding of Black history and anti-Black racism, there are support resources available, including a list of children’s books curated by Tonja, Nicole and Deirdra which RECEs can read to children in their care, to foster meaningful conversations about diversity, inclusion and belonging.
To support your well-being, you can also consider the following resources:
- Wellness Resources
- Caring for Self and Others
- Mental Health: A Call to Care for Yourself and Others
- Jean Clinton explains pivotal role of RECEs in supporting children’s mental health
- More from the Community of Black ECEs:
Biographies
Tonja Armstrong-MacInnis, a 2021 Prime Minister’s Award Recipient for Teaching Excellence in Early Childhood Education, has over 30 years of experience in varying capacities within the field of early learning and care – including facilitating numerous workshops that incorporate early learning pedagogy with an anti-oppression and anti-racist lens. In addition to her diploma in Early Childhood Education, she holds a BA and MA in Early Childhood Studies. She is the Director of the Humber Child Development Centre and Manager of the City of Toronto’s Every Child Belongs Unit at Humber that consists of Resource Consultants and a Registered Nurse Practitioner.
Nicole Cummings-Morgan is a mentor, advocate, community connector and collaborator. In addition to her RECE designation, she’s also an Ontario Certified Teacher, a professor in Early Childhood Education, an author and the owner and Executive Director of W1derus Educational Workshops Inc. W1derus Educational Workshops Inc. is a social enterprise dedicated to providing personal and professional workshops that contribute to the holistic well-being of individuals throughout their lifespan. Nicole is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario and the founder of the Community of Black ECEs.
Deirdra Joseph began her Early Childhood Educator journey at Seneca College. During her time as an RECE, she would often connect with the children who had needs, particularly those with Autism. This led her to obtain her Resource Teacher certificate and completing the Autism and Behavioral Science program at Seneca College. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in music. She currently works for the City of Toronto as a Resource Consultant.