Some footage used in this video was filmed prior to the pandemic and may not depict social distancing measures.
Year: 2021 — Province: Manitoba
Certificate of Excellence Recipient
Oak Street Nursery School
Nursery School
2 to 6 years
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Quote
“Karlin has led our school through a number of visionary changes that have had a significant impact not only on the school but also on parents and on the community. She carried out a full review of the school curriculum and philosophy, she oversaw renovation of the space, she gave the school a new public identity through rebranding, and she was the force behind long-term funding viability. Karlin has likely protected the school from closure.”
Philosophy of care
For Karlin, early childhood education is about offering all children inclusive opportunities to explore the world around them, and support as they navigate and fit into our world. It is about observing and assessing each child and getting to know them well enough to meet their individual developmental needs. It is also about providing activities where they can practice their cognitive, social, physical and emotional skills and use those moments to build their confidence and self-esteem.
Support of child development
Over the last 13 years Karlin has instilled a classroom environment of exploration, acceptance, independence, and inclusion. Following a Reggio-Emilia inspired philosophy, children begin their year learning and talking about themselves and their families. Openness and unconditional acceptance are a given, and differences are celebrated. This introduction provides them with familiar subject matter and eases them into their new environment.
In the classroom, children are exposed early to literacy and numeracy concepts. Vocabulary is introduced naturally, for example through finding everyday objects. The inclusion of literacy and numeracy skills in the curriculum allows children to explore without the pressures to meet developmental milestones.
Involvement with parents, families and the community
Innovative thinking led Karlin to engage Oak Street Nursery School as a partner with the University of Winnipeg as a founding member of the ToyBox project in 2018. ToyBox provides freely accessible tools and strategies for developing early literacy and numeracy skills in young children, in addition to wellness tips for parents. The program connects with families around Manitoba, many of whom are lacking resources and opportunities for early childhood education. The aim is to provide simple, at-home activities for parents to do with their children, in an effort to address gaps in school readiness. This initiative has been a great success, increasing knowledge exchange between University researchers, ECE children, school educators, and frontline staff at the school. This project is at the forefront of innovation in early childhood education in Manitoba.
Manitoba recently implemented a new funding model for nursery schools that provides equity across all programs, resulting in up to an over 200% increase for programs like Oak Street Nursery School. Karlin has been advocating for an equitable system for a number of years and provided direct consultation to Manitoba Families on this matter. Her contribution has been a key element of the changes we are now seeing. She is a big part of the vitality and sustainability of early childhood education in Manitoba.
Get in touch!
Oak Street Nursery School
255 Oak Street
Winnipeg MB R3M 3P7
204-488-1133
Email: oakstreetns@mymts.net