Student Spotlight: Tammy Munro

We had the opportunity to sit down with year-two Early Childhood Education student, Tammy Munro, to chat about her experience in the program.

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Hi! My name is Tammy Munro and I’m a second year Early Childhood Education student. I have a three-year-old daughter who goes to the Early Childhood Learning Centre here at the college. I’m originally from Dauphin, Manitoba and went to high school in Dauphin.

Have you been to Brandon before?

I moved to Brandon back in 2000. I love Brandon, and I don’t plan on moving. It has the same friendly atmosphere found in small towns but has many of the accommodations you’d expect in a large city.

What made you decide to come to ACC? Why did you choose Early Childhood Education?

I decided to come to ACC and take the Early Childhood Education program because I love working with children. I’ve always enjoyed being around children but I had never really put much thought about making a career out of it. That is, until I had my daughter. After she came into the picture I knew that this is what I wanted to do.

It not only aligns with my passion of working with children but would also help me become a better parent.

How has your experience been so far?

Amazing. I love everything about being here—my classmates, instructors, environment. I’ve learned so much about parenting and children development.

Can you explain a little about the program and what you’ve learned so far?

We learn a lot of different things. We learn a range of different topics, things like advocacy for children, child development, professionalism, scheduling, team-work, and many other things.

There are five developmental domains that we learn about in the program which we start learning from day one in the program. Everything that we learn in the program fits into one of these domains, which are language, social, emotional, cognitive, and physical.

Has anything surprised you about the program?

I researched the program before I applied so I knew what I was getting myself into. I never had any prior experience working with children before but I enjoyed being around them and thought it would be a great fit for me.

The most surprising thing so far is not about the actual program itself but rather hearing what people think it is that we do as child educators. Many people are unaware of what we actually do and think of us as babysitter’s rather then early childhood educators. There’s a big difference between the two fields. We focus a lot on the actual development of a child rather than just basic caring.

Is there anything in particular that you’re excited to learn about?

There’s so much to learn in this field and I think Early Childhood Education gives us an incredible start. I personally still have a lot to learn but that will come with work experience. I’m excited to get out there and to keep building on what I’ve learned so far.

I understand you are organizing a Cardboard Challenge. Can you tell us a little about that?

On January 29^th we’re hosting our second annual Cardboard Challenge. We invited learning centres from the Brandon and Souris area to join us at the college to take part in activities throughout the day. We’ve collected a bunch of supplies including tape, glue, and—of course cardboard. The children get play and create in a really fun environment.

We want the children to explore, play, and use their imagination to be creative. Last year the group built a huge cardboard rocket, it was pretty cool to see in the end. It was huge! This year we actually moved the location from the cafeteria classroom to the gymnasium so we can have a lot more space. I’m excited to see what this year’s group will come up with!

Are there any other events the program organizes?

Another event we hold annually is our Mud Day. It has a very similar format to the Cardboard Challenge except it has a lot more stations outside—and of course a lot more messy. It’s all about playing and having fun doing something many children these days are told not to do, getting really dirty. It’s really a lot of fun and the children have a blast every year. As a class we learn a lot about scheduling and developing activities. These events give us a chance to apply what we learn in the classroom in a real world setting.

What do you enjoy the most about this career?

First and foremost the children, they’ll always be number one. The community and people I get to meet and spend time with everyday are also really great. It’s wonderful learning and working with people that share the same passion as I do.

What are you classmates and instructors like?

My classmates are great and my instructors are wonderful. I’ve made some amazing friends in the program. We’ll be each other’s resources as we move forward into our careers.

Does the program collaborate with the on-campus daycare?

Yep! We invite the children from the on-campus daycare to take part in many activities that we plan. Many times they are the only children that get invited to an event just because of how convenient it is to have them so close to us. When we develop activities in the classroom we actually get the opportunity to bring them into a live setting with the children. It’s a great way to apply what we learn in the classroom in a real-world setting. It’s not only great for us but the children absolutely love when we get involved.

Did you do anything to prepare yourself before coming into the program?

I prepared myself as much as I could before coming into the program. I read over the course outlines and just mentally prepared myself for the next two years of returning to school. I did have to go through and apply for a Child Abuse Registry Check and Criminal Record Check before taking the program as well.

Do you have any advice for other people looking to take Early Childhood Education?

Do it. If you enjoy working within a community and have a passion for developing children it’s an amazing career path. This field of work can lead you many different ways, which is exciting.

Do you have a work placement?

We have four placements during the two-year program. In our first year we have Applied Practical Skills 1 and 2 which. I’ve done some of my work placement at the Brandon University Early Learning Centre.

What’s something about you that would surprise people?

I like scary movies.

Are you involved in any activities outside the college?

Not really, my daughter keeps me pretty busy.

What’s your favorite food?

I love Chinese food.

Do you have any favorite TV shows, movies, or hobbies?

The first thing that popped into my head—children cartoons. Besides cartoons the most recent series I’ve watched is probably Grey’s Anatomy. I love to read.

Thanks for taking time out of your day to talk with us.

No problem. Thanks for having me.