For one exceptional North Vancouver teacher, the most rewarding moments in her career come when students say three little words: “I was thinking.”
“If I can help a child think, wonder, and want to find answers, that’s the best thing I could ever teach,” said Lesley McRae, a teacher at the Highlands Early Learning Centre. “It’s the foundation of all learning.”
McRae has now been honoured with the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education this year.
McRae owned and operated Chelsea House Preschool in West Vancouver for 34 years. After closing her school in 2017, she soon discovered she missed the daily interactions with children and the sense of community she shared with other early childhood educators. She applied for a job at the centre and has been there ever since.
In more than 40 years working in early childhood education, the veteran educator has learned to let the children teach her about their world.
“I follow the children’s interests. We call it a child-led curriculum. This leads to my passion – children’s right to be heard. Children should be listened to, so I do a lot of work around listening. Listening to children takes time and patience, and those are two things I have to offer,” she said.
Highlands executive director Daniela Francis describes McRae’s teaching methods as magical.
“Lesley empowers children to take charge of their learning, often letting them plan their activities, especially on their birthdays. She thoughtfully sets up activities based on the children’s interests. One memorable example was when the children’s curiosity about hospitals during the pandemic led to transforming the classroom into a mini-hospital, complete with beds and real medical equipment. This allowed the children to explore and learn through play,” she said.
McRae sees herself as a collaborator rather than an instructor, believing that teachers should avoid settling into the same routine year after year.
“Every child who comes through their doors and every class is different. Everyone is an individual, and teachers need to be ready for the unexpected and learn from what happens. I continually take courses, listen to podcasts, and attend workshops because there’s so much information about children and early childhood education, especially in the last few years,” she said.
For McRae, the importance of communication with parents and families cannot be overstated.
“It’s all about that connection and communication right from the first time I meet them. It’s about being interested in them, asking questions, and wanting to know about their children. Keeping that communication up on a daily basis is key, even if it’s just a simple ‘Hi, how are you?’” she said.
She also uses the Seesaw mobile app to communicate with families to safely share children’s photos and videos.
“Parents love seeing what their children are doing. On Seesaw, even a quick, less-than-five-minute update gives them a glimpse into what their children are working on and what they’re interested in,” she sad.
When children feel safe and cared for by someone who genuinely values them, they become eager to participate in activities that interest them, she noted.
“In our classroom, we discuss just three basic rules: Not harming ourselves or our classmates and respecting our environment. These rules guide our actions, and the children understand them well. It’s not like I’m free-for-all, but I don’t say ‘no’. Children are amazing problem solvers. I don’t solve their problems for them. Instead, I offer support. I’m always there with them. I ask, ‘How can we fix this?’ or ‘How can we make this work so that everyone feels good or happy?’ By the end of the school year, they’re solving their own problems. They don’t need me as much anymore.”
McRae’s image of children guides her work. She sees children as competent and capable. “That’s why I listen to them. My classroom operates on children’s time, not clock time. If the kids are engaged in something, we stick with it because that’s where the learning happens.”
On receiving the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education, she hopes that the recognition will give her a voice to advocate for early childhood education, not only in her community but also across British Columbia and Canada.
She also hopes it will give her the opportunity to share her own philosophy and care for young children.
“Ottawa was amazing. When I went there, I didn’t know what to expect, but it was incredible being honoured by the Prime Minister and the people who worked for him. Meeting the other recipients from across Canada was also amazing. We’re connected by our commitment to be the best teachers we can be, and we’re going to learn from each other going forward and stay together as a group,” she concluded.
Fatemeh Falah is an intern reporter with the North Shore News. She can be contacted at [email protected].
