This document summarizes Rasika Gamage's passion and learning journey to become an Early Childhood Educator. It outlines her influences growing up, experience educating children, and enrollment in the ECE program at Centennial College. It describes the knowledge and skills gained through her courses and field placements, including emergent curriculum, guidance strategies, child development, advocacy, and professionalism. It reflects on her philosophy of creating a child-centered learning environment and partnership with families.

1. Rasika Gamage
(300614896)
https://eceamaisd.sharpschool.com/

2. My Passion
 Influence by mother’s work as a teacher.
 My passion to work with children since ever I was
young.
 Several years of experience educating children before
migrating to Canada
 Enrolled in Early Childhood Education program at
Centennial College
 Starting a new career path having a goal to be an Early
Childhood Educator.

3. My Learning Journey
 Learned about child centered whole child
development.
 Great understanding of “emergent curriculum
approach” and “guidance strategies”
 Empowered with the knowledge, tools and
theories required in real classroom
environment,
 Increased competencies to create a positive www.iappsofts.com
child centered learning environment
 Obtained practical experiences with children
during my placements.
 Tried to maintain Professionalism as an ECE

4. Some Final Semester Courses:
 ECEP 236-Advocay and the Emerging professional
course
 explore relevant issues, legislation, policies, and
regulations related early childhood education
within ethical and professional standards.
 ECEP-237- Child Abuse course
 helped me to understand how child abuse and what
my responsibilities are as an ECE.
 Learning about how to recognize the actual risks
and familiarize myself with the signs of abuse,
would help me to identify a child who may have
http://michelephoen
sign of abuse and take necessary steps when abuse ix.com/2012/10/child
is suspected. -abuse-on-the-
mission-field/

5. Few Final Semester Courses
 ECEP 233- Inclusion of Children with
special needs
 Learn how children with special needs
can be given the same opportunities to
learn, enjoy and participate as other
children.
 Conducted a “Child Abuse Awareness
www.friendshipcircle.org
Campaign”
 Plan, design and carry out a successful
campaign against child abuse while
enhancing our skills to engage conversation
with visitors and answering their questions.

6. My Field Placements
 Helped me to enhance my professional
competence in child observation,
respecting children’s thoughts and
ideas, curriculum planning,
implementation and evaluation,
enhancing children’s learning and
parent involvement and community
www.tatasdaycare.com
support.

7. My first Filed Placement
 Learned to observe children and record
their activities, behaviors and interests.
 Gained a richer picture of the child by
observing and recording the child in a
variety of settings and with a focus on
the different areas of development.
 Improved professional qualities such as
writerwoman61.wordpress.com
effective communication skills, ability to
work as a team player and building a
better relationship with children and
their families.

8. My Second Placement
 Tried to use my knowledge on “Emergent
Curriculum” but Centre was had different
approach in the child development.
 Tried to be a part of a team
 Maintained professionalism throughout
www.miibb.com

9. My final Placement
 The Most successful placement
 Implemented the curriculum
implementation confidently with
careful observation of the children’s
interests, questions, and ideas
 Curriculum projects helped me to
further enhance my knowledge and www.volunteerrichmond.ca
skills on planning and implementation
of emergent curriculum.
 My collaboration and communication
with supervising ECE, other team
members in the centre and especially
parents and community have increased
compared to previous placements.

10. Developing E-portfolio
 Another interesting task that I liked to
engage with.
 Learn several digital tools that help to
give pleasant appearance for the wiki
pages.
 Helped me to expose into the digital
http://www.culpwrit.com/2013/02/25/will-
world and now I have a great confidence social-media-replace-e-portfolios/
in using those tools.
 Used my e-portfolio to record my
learning journey and developmental path
as ECE professional.


11. Reflecting my own journey
 Kept maintaining my learning journal that I used to
reflect on my own learning.
 I believe that continual reflection is a critical
component of learning.
 Success can be achieved through recurrent practice as
a lifelong learner and reflection and enriching my
knowledge.
www.durhamcollege.ca

12. What I bring into ECE Profession
 When I start to practice as an ECE professional, I will
certainly bring my enthusiasm for children and
passion in teaching children. I want to be creative
when I work as professional by brining liveliness to the
learning environment. My patience and friendliness
will help to build stronger relationships with children.
These will help me to be a long term advocate for
improving the lives of children and their families

13. My Philosophy Statement
 My professional philosophy as an ECE is that the
children learn through play by experiencing
themselves at different learning environments. I
believe that every child is unique and they learn in
their own way. As an ECE I should provide the children
with the best learning environment possible because
children are our future, and we need to do our part to
help make them be the best they can possible be by
allowing them to build their self-esteem. I also value
diversity, and strive to partner with parents, families,
caregivers and the community to provide healthy and
inclusive environment with positive guidance.